Child of the Earth, Angel of the Sky
by DarkestCornerOfMyMind
Summary: War has been going on between Terra and Cielo for fifteen years. When Prince Tsunayoshi Kozato is sent as Emissary of Terra Kingdom to Cielo Empire in order to make peace, what secrets and events shall unfold before him about the war and his own past? Chapter 23: In Which The Sister is a Heroine (attempting to come out of hiatus)
1. The Two Princes of Terra Kingdom

So you may be wondering, "_WHY THE HELL ARE YOU WRITING THIS STORY! UPDATE THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU'VE ABANDONED FOR FOUR MONTHS!_" I will concur that I am a lousy updater, but I really wanted to write this so here I am.

This story will include shounen-ai, war themes, Roman gods, Japanese gods, and varying differences between Italian and Japanese culture. Half of the stuff I may or may not made up because I could. Thank you :)_**  
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><p><em><strong>The Two Princes of Terra Kingdom<strong>_

The library was silent. The only noise was in the oldest, dustiest part of the room, where soft shuffling of papers was heard as a man with white hair in a white suit pulled books off a shelf. Despite the color of his hair, the man was young and handsome with a small smile always on his mouth. He examined each shelf for his needed material. One book in particular caught his notice; a dull-looking black book with faded, peeling letters. The man reached up, grasped the book gently for it looked so old, and wiggled it out of place. He blew a little dust off of the cover and opened to the front page, reading the small text.

"… _**and so the Royal Knights of our kingdom Terra defeated the Guardians of Cielo and cast a shield over our world to forever block the attacks that the vengeful Cielo may attempt to execute. Our brave king, his Majesty Cozart Shimon…"**_

_Lies_, the man thought with an amused snort, clapping the book shut. A ray of cold sunlight shone through the stained-glass window and illuminated a purple mark on his cheek. _All of it is lies. Who publishes this rubbish?_

He took his selected stack of books and trudged towards a small wooden table with two chairs. The man set the books down, organized a few pieces of paper, then sat down to await his young charge.

_Any minute now…_

There was a scraping sound from the entrance to the library before a messy mop of brown hair peered around the door. "Good afternoon, Scholar Byakuran,"

Byakuran smiled. "Good afternoon, young Prince Tsunayoshi."

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><p>"… in 20XX the harvest of Selva flourished greatly and as an offering of companionship they gave half of their crops to our sister world, Mare… young Prince, are you listening?"<p>

"Y-Yes!" Tsuna bolted upright and nodded furiously, scrubbing sleep out of his eyes. "I-I was daydreaming a little. Forgive my impudence."

"It is alright," Byakuran assured him. "I used to fall asleep too, when I was learning of our world's history."

Tsuna blanched. He knew what was coming.

"However, it is unsightly for a prince to fall asleep – _drooling_ for that matter – so please don't do it again."

_Right on the head_, Tsuna wept, feeling a heavy rock saying "_unsightly_" smack him hard on the brow. Byakuran was the type of person who would comfort you one moment then squash your confidence the next. No noble woman could be more vicious. Tsuna sighed. _Sometimes I wonder if he hates me…_

Young Prince Tsunayoshi, or Tsunayoshi Kozato, was the second in line for the throne of Shimon Cozart. The first heir to the throne was Tsuna's older brother, Enma Kozato. Tsuna and his brother could not have looked less alike; Enma's hair and eyes were a ruby red, as did all descendants of royalty, while Tsuna's hair and eyes were chocolate brown. Enma's skin was pale like most Terra dwellers. Tsuna's skin was a tanner shade "like those barbarians of Cielo," he had once heard the nobles whisper. Despite the differences, Tsuna and Enma loved each other. It didn't matter what others said, Enma had once told him: "We are brothers. And we look exactly alike".

"Now then Young Prince," Byakuran opened a book. "Please recite the history of Cielo and Terra."

"Yes!" Tsuna automatically stood up and began to narrate.

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><p>Our universe consists of three main worlds; Terra, Cielo, and Mare. The three worlds lived in harmony together under the vow of the Trinisette. Terra and Cielo were especially close because their rulers, our King Shimon Cozart and the Emperor of Cielo Vongola Giotto, were best friends.<p>

The residents of Cielo are called 'Angelos'. Though they look like Terra's 'Humanos', the most distinguishing features between the two races are the wings the Angelos bear. The color of the wings depends on what region of Cielo the angels come from. The wings can vary from orange, red, yellow, blue, indigo, green, and violet.

_And what are the names of the regions?_

The main region is also known as Cielo, where the Angelos have orange wings. Tempesta is red. Pioggia is blue. Sole is yellow. Fulmine is green. Nuvolo is violet. Nebbia is indigo. Unlike Terra, where the continents lay flat on the ground, the regions of Cielo float in the sky in a column. From the bottom up the order is Nebbia, Fulmine, Tempesta, Pioggia, Nuvolo, then Cielo. Sole is the only one out of the column, a little off to the side in order to give all regions its light.

_And what of Terra? _

Terra also consists of seven 'regions' which we call continents. The original names of the continents are Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, North America, South America, and Antarctica. After the 'Merge of Land', the continents were renamed. Europe became Terra. Antarctica became Ghiacciaio. Africa became Metallo. Australia became Palude. South America became Selva. North America became Montagna. Finally, Asia became Deserto.

_Tell me more about his Majesty and Emperor Giotto._

His Majesty Shimon Cozart and Emperor Vongola Giotto were similar to each other in ideas and abilities, making them the best of friends. His Majesty and Vongola Giotto are most similar in the fact that they both have extremely long lives. It is not known for how long, but it is said that they have lived since the beginning of time. Because of their strong bond, Terra and Cielo had long coexisted in harmony.

One day a family on Terra was murdered and the accused was a citizen of Nebbia. The murderer was forced in to exile and became what is known as an _Angelo Caduto_ – a 'Fallen Angel' – and the incident was forgiven… but then a family in Nebbia was slaughtered and the Angelos of Nebbia believed that Terra was extracting revenge. As a result, Nebbia and Terra were forced in to war. Naturally Nebbia called upon its allies to help. Terra attempted to pacify with Cielo but the attempts were fruitless, as more and more Humanos and Angelos were slain every day. In the end, the war developed.

The war only went two ways. Terra was on one side, Cielo and the Arcobaleno Realm on the other. Mare was neutral. Arcobaleno was a powerful country, governed by the Seven Sacred Sages. The Terra Knights defeating the Arcobaleno Realm by killing the Seven Sages and literally eliminated their world off the map. Cielo, infuriated by the destruction of their comrades, released a devastating series of attacks on Terra, nearly winning the war.

In order to protect Terra from all attacks, the Royal Knights cast a great shield over Terra. The first shield failed; it was destroyed by the power of the Cielo Guardians. However our Knights did not give up and put up another shield, this one stronger and well-enforced with power. The Guardians could not break this shield and stopped attacking Terra as a result. Since then, the war has slowly lessened but both sides still take Humanos and Angelos as slaves; a sign that the peace between Terra and Cielo may never be restored.

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><p>"Very good, Prince Tsunayoshi," remarked Byakuran. "Your history is well read. Let us move on to Japanese."<p>

"Yes, Scholar Byakuran," Tsuna obliged by putting away his history notes that he had been peeking at and took out his Japanese book. Byakuran paused for a moment.

"Young Prince."

"Yes?"

"Do you know the reason why we have you learn Japanese?"

"Because Japanese is the native language of Cielo?"

"Correct. And the native language of Terra?"

"Italian."

"Also correct," Byakuran paused. "Now are you aware that you are the only one within the Royal Famiglia – not even Prince Enma – besides His Majesty Shimon Cozart and I who knows how to speak Japanese?"

"Yes," there was a faint note of pride in Tsuna's voice.

Byakuran quietly snorted but smiled cheerfully. "Do you know why?"

Tsuna, puzzled by this question, shook his head. "I'm afraid that I do not," he glanced up at Byakuran and instantly recoiled. Byakuran was smiling, but it wasn't only that which resided on his face. There was also an undeniable look of greed dancing within Byakuran's purple eyes. He gulped and looked away, chills running down his spine.

"I suppose you will learn soon enough," Byakuran said softly. Tsuna shuddered. "Now, turn to page 100 and read the following passage…"

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><p>"Enma!"<p>

Seventeen-year-old Prince Enma Kozato turned around and received an armful of his younger brother. "Tsuna!" he said in surprise. "You shouldn't run in the halls like that."

"I'm sorry," Tsuna said breathlessly. "I just wanted to tell you that there's the Ceres Festival in town today. Can we go together?" he hopped on one foot to the next. He had been anxious all week for his brother's reply.

"A festival?" Enma frowned lightly. "I'm sorry, Tsuna, but I don't think that I can go… I have a couple of meetings and such to attend to…"

Tsuna pouted. "You _never_ have time anymore," he muttered, before quickly apologizing. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to complain, but – "

"I know, I know," Enma smiled softly. "I haven't been able to spend any more time with you. How's this? I'll ask the Council to postpone some of the meetings until tomorrow, then I can go with you. Okay?"

"Yeah!" Tsuna exclaimed, delighted. "Thanks Enma!"

Enma nodded. "It's settled then. Run along now, I've got work to do."

Tsuna watched as his brother left. He was thinner and his skin had turned even paler compared to only a year ago. Another change was the ornate Shimon Ring of Earth that glittered on his left hand. The only thing that hadn't changed was the same subtle gloomy aura that surrounded him. _I suppose that it is to be expected, _Tsuna thought sympathetically. _He's been completely stressed out since he had to take over for Grandfather Cozart. _

_ And…_

_ He hasn't been the same since our sister Mami died…_

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><p>Cozart Shimon reclined in his throne, scanning the documents that had just been handed to him by the Ghiacciao Knight successor. "Thank you, Adelheid," the immortal King smiled tiredly at the tall girl. "Give my greetings and love to your mother."<p>

"Of course sir," Adelheid nodded. Enma's childhood friend stood, relaxed, in front of her ruler. A responsible girl, Adelheid Suzuki of Ghiacciaio had inherited her mother's position as one of the seven Knights of Terra at age fifteen. Despite the rumors of her father being an Angelo (most likely of Nuvolo or Pioggia), she had grounded all beliefs to dust under her triumphs, including her win over the Angelo Caduto of Fulmine, Dendro Chilum; a ruthless murderer who was banished from Cielo and attempted to seek refuge in Ghiacciaio. Needless to say he sank back in to his criminal ways until Adelheid found him and mercilessly defeated him, winning the respect of those whom had previously doubted her. However the rumors surrounding her linage still lived on in whispers…

"You may go," Cozart sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Please send in the next person on your way out."

"Yes sir," Adelheid curtsied and exited the room. She tapped a boy her age on the shoulder, a tall youth wearing a fedora. "Julie, your turn."

Julie Katou, Deserto's future Knight, glanced up and gave her a winning smile. "How about a kiss of encouragement Adel – OW!"

"Hurry up. Do not keep his Majesty waiting," Adel wiped the hand she used to slap Julie on her skirt. "I'm going to find Enma. Catch up when you're finished," she strode off to find her prince without a backward glance at her childhood sweetheart.

Julie sighed, grumbling."It's all about Enma these days, that brat…"

Adelheid walked briskly down the halls of the castle, eyes quickly and methodically scanning for a familiar head of red hair. She did not see one but she did spot a familiar mop of brown hair halfway out of the window. "Tsunayoshi!"

"HIII! Help me! Adelheid!"

Adelheid rushed forwards and grabbed Tsuna by the scruff of the neck and pulled him back inside. "What on earth were you doing! You can't fly you know!" Adelheid scolded the young prince.

Tsuna gave a very shaky laugh. "Sorry, but I had to. Look…" he pointed.

Adel looked out the window in to the leaves of an oak. "What is it…" she paused. "Oh…"

A little below the ledge of the window was an extremely rare sight; a nest of a robin. Inside were four, softly peeping baby birds. One of them was not as snuggled in as its siblings. It had obviously been outside of the nest then recently put back. "It had fallen out of the nest. Luckily the bushes saved it, but then when I came up here to put it back the nest was further down then I thought and I tilted too far," Tsuna said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Adelheid sighed. "I see. But little Prince, you shouldn't do such a dangerous thing. Let a servant do it."

"I can't!" Tsuna protested. "Birds are rare in Terra because they're originally from Cielo. If I let anyone else know about their existence, then they would be killed!"

Adelheid had to admit that Tsuna had a point. Birds were unappreciated in Terra because of their wings and mastery of the air. The Humanos considered them to be spies for Cielo and killed them on sight. Only the rich and powerful bought birds as pets, and even then they were mistreated.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone either," Adelheid relented. Adelheid was very fond of Tsuna because of the similar uncertainty of their ancestry. She had heard many unsavory rumors about Tsuna, including the oddness of his skin tone and his strange resemblance to the Emperor Giotto…

"Thanks Adelheid," Tsuna smiled with relief. Tsuna, likewise, admired Adelheid very much. She was one of the few Knights who were kind to him; scratch that, she was the only Knight who was kind to him. All the others secretly bullied him behind Adelheid and Enma's back.

"Do you know where Enma is?" Adelheid asked, remembering her previous objective.

"Enma has a meeting with the Elders," Tsuna answered. "They're meeting in the Terra Council room in the Terra wing."

The Terra Castle had seven wings total, each individual wing named after and used by a continent for which it was built. For example, whenever Adelheid and her mother came to visit, they would briefly take up residence in the Ghiacciaio wing. Each wing was also decorated to make the residents feel more at home; the Selva wing had huge gardens and trees right in the hallways.

Adelheid sighed. If the Council had Enma in their clutches then they certainly wouldn't let go until the future King parroted all of their beliefs, even if he didn't believe in them. "Then, Tsuna, join me for some coffee?"

Tsuna attempted a smile but it came out as a grimace. He had never liked the taste of coffee; it just didn't sit right with him somehow. But all the citizens of the Earth loved the dark beverage and anyone who did not drink it black was teased. Tsuna gulped and nodded weakly. "S-Sure."

Tsuna and Adelheid walked towards the Terra kitchens, a large collection of rooms filled with cooking equipment and chefs. One particular room was a café for guests. That's where the young Prince and his lady Knight found Julie, sipping tea and discreetly eying the rear of a pretty young waitress.

Of course Adelheid noticed and slapped him. "Stop looking at others in such a disgraceful manner," she lectured, a subtle anger mark on her forehead. Tsuna coughed politely. Julie glanced at him. "Oh, good afternoon, Princey," Julie gave a smooth but cold smile. "Gracing us lower life forms with your presence?"

"Julie!" Adelheid moved to slap him again but Tsuna stopped her.

"It's okay, Adelheid," he smiled wanly. "I'm used to it."

Adelheid stood there for moment, hand still upraised and ready, before slowly lowering it. "Yes…" she gave Tsuna a small curtsy. "I apologize for showing such disgraceful behavior."

"It's alright…" Tsuna sat down. "Let's just order some drinks. Who wants a mocha latte?"

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><p>Meanwhile, within the Terra Council room…<p>

"I won't allow it!" Enma slammed his hands down on the smooth wooden table. "I won't let you! You can't send him of all people! You _can't_!"

"We can and we shall," boomed a deep voice. "You are too naïve, Prince Enma. Drastic times call for drastic measures. No matter what, we must absolutely send him to Cielo."

"But to do such a thing… it's too cruel!" Enma cried, red eyes blazing in fury. "Never!"

"This is for our kingdom!" roared back the deep voice. "If you refuse to comply then you are a traitor! Young Prince Tsunayoshi Kozato will be sent as an Emissary to Cielo. That is an order!"

"Tsuna is still too young and inexperienced! What'll happen if he dies up there?"

"Then he dies for his Kingdom," silence penetrated the room before the soft musical voice of a woman spoke.

"Then all in favor…?"

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><p><em>That was really scary<em>… Tsuna stood by the main entrance of the castle, thinking unhappily of Adelheid and Julie. Julie had continuously sent piercing jabs at him before finally Adelheid had lost her temper and activated her Shimon Ring of Glacier. Tsuna had to grab the waitresses and the chef and pull them behind the counter when the ice puppets started popping up from the vases on the tables. _She almost destroyed the whole place before she got her temper back under control…_ Tsuna wept. He sank down and sat against the wall. "Enma is late…" he mumbled. Weren't they going to the festival together today? It was already six, and the festival ended at ten. "It takes about 45 minutes to get there…"

Tsuna didn't need to worry. Enma rounded the corner at a dash. "Sorry, Tsuna!" he breathed. "The Elders really wouldn't let me go," he wore a cap and sunglasses to hide his red hair and eyes; if he let them show, then everyone would know that he was the prince.

Tsuna gave Enma an especially radiant smile. "It's okay," he said. "Let's go! We might make it in time."

"Remember though, Tsuna," Enma bent down a little to talk to his little brother face to face. "We have to be discreet. If anyone recognizes us, then…"

Tsuna nodded in understanding. "Okay."

"Great! Then let's go…" he paused for a moment and patted Tsuna softly on the head. Tsuna blinked in confusion.

"Enma?"

"… Sorry, I just…" Enma looked pained. "Tsuna, I…"

"…?"

Enma closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again and smiled. "It's nothing. Shall we go?"

"Yeah!" Tsuna nodded.

Tsuna skipped ahead a couple paces in front of Enma in his excitement. The Prince of Terra stared at his little brother's back and sighed quietly.

_I'm sorry, Tsuna… I couldn't protect you._

* * *

><p>The town that the Terra Kingdom resided in was named Shimon after their King. Every start of the season, the town threw a festival to celebrate and pray for another good three months. Today was the start of spring, the season of plenty and harvest. As a result, the town was celebrating prosperity and offering goods to the goddess of harvest, Ceres. Fresh produce was everywhere, for both sale and contests. Wine and coffee were being served by the bucketfuls; people were either passing out from the alcohol or jumping around because of the caffeine.<p>

Enma had bought a jug of coffee and shish kabobs of honey-roasted chicken. He shared them with his brother as they watched a parade of floats go by, all depicting the wonders of spring. As a float of roses of all colors was going by, a loud commotion was heard from the back of the crowd.

"You worthless slave!" roared a voice. "Can't you do anything right?"

Enma suddenly dissolved in to the mob, leaving Tsuna confused. "Enma?" he yelled, terrified. "Enma! Where are you!"

A huge shudder suddenly ran down Tsuna's spine and he fell forward on to his knees. He felt as if he were being doused in ice cold water. _What in the world…?_

Another shout came from the back. Tsuna got up ran blindly towards the voice and found himself the spectator to a heroic scene.

A man in his middle years, obviously of a higher up class, had his hand raised up and about to come down on his slave, when suddenly Tsuna's brother materialized out of nowhere and grabbed the man's arm. "Stop this," Enma said sternly. "Such a pathetic display… enough is enough!"

"Let go of me, you hooligan!" the man exclaimed furiously, ripping his hand out of Enma's grasp. "I'll have you know that I am the head of the *** Famiglia! I rank higher than you! I…" the man faltered as Enma peered over the top of his sunglasses, revealing his ruby red eyes. "Y-Your High – mph!"

Enma covered the man's mouth with his hand. "Silence, please," he said softly, dangerously. "Now that you are aware of the situation… will you please leave?"

The man swallowed and nodded slowly. "Y-Yes, Your… yes sir."

Enma bent down next to the slave and helped him up. He was tall, taller than Enma, dressed in the traditional outfit of a personal servant; a brown tunic with a hood and long brown pants made of worn cotton. Tsuna could not see the slave's face, but he moved fluidly and nimbly like a cat. _He moves like a noble despite his status…_ Tsuna thought.

"Are you alright?" Enma asked. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine," Tsuna was struck by the voice; though weak, it was a deep, fine, and rich tenor.

_Even the voice is that of a nobleman_…

The slave kept his face downcast, a typical habit within the rank, and slowly backed away. "I sincerely apologize for disturbing your outing," he spoke quickly as if nervous of getting hit. "Please enjoy your day," he kept backing away from Enma until his back hit someone from the crowd… Tsuna.

Tsuna gave a small squeal and fell backwards. "HII! Ouch…"

"Ah!" the slave gasped and whirled around to bend over and offer a hand. "I am so sorry! May I help you up?"

Tsuna automatically took the slave's hand. "Yes, thank you…" he looked up and stared. The slave was incredibly handsome with a perfectly shaped face and long dark blue hair that hung in unkempt strands. What surprised Tsuna the most was the eyes; one was the deep color of the world of Mare, the other a rich red that shone more brightly and more sinisterly than those of the royal family.

The slave's face changed momentarily from bumbling to surprise, then to a small, arrogant smirk which actually enhanced the man's attractive features.

Suddenly the chill that Tsuna had felt when Enma disappeared came back and hit him full force. He doubled up, wrapping his arms tightly around himself and shivering.

"Oh my, are you sick, sir?" the voice was still that of a terrified slave while the face was that of a cruel master. The contrast bordered on sickening. "Please, look this way…"

Tsuna looked up at the face, breathing heavily. The slave gazed down upon him from between his long eyelashes and bent down even closer so that his lips brushed the young prince's ear, speaking in a familiar foreign language.

"Oh, if it isn't the missing Ouji of Oozora," the slave murmured softly. "Have you become a traitor, my little runaway?"

_Japanese…?_ Tsuna thought hazily. _Ouji is… prince. Oozora… is… bl…ue… s…k…y…_

"Sir!"

"Tsuna!"

The last thing Tsuna heard was the panicked shout of his brother before the slave seemed to envelope him in a cloak of darkness and took him to a world of dark dreams of thoughts and memories so vivid they seemed real, though none of it made any sense…

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><p>Enma cradled Tsuna in his arms. He called out his brother's name repeatedly, not caring who would recognize them or report them. "Tsuna! Tsuna! Come on…"<p>

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to make him faint, I really didn't," the slave babbled. "Please don't kill me sir, please!"

"I won't kill you," Enma reassured him. "Tsuna used to have fainting spells a lot as a kid, though I thought that he had gotten better now…" he stood up, carrying his brother in his arms. "I'll talk to my grandfather about this *** Famiglia and petition for your freedom."

"Really?" the slave's tone lit up. "Thank you very much sir! Thank you!" he bent down to kiss Enma's feet but the Terra Prince laughed and danced away. "It's alright. No need for thanks," he turned to walk away and the crowd parted like the Red Sea. "Good-bye."

"Good-bye, sir!" the slave was practically jumping around in his excitement.

The moment Enma was out of sight, the slave stopped jumping around like a maniac. Underneath his hood, he smiled maliciously and laughed. "Thank you very much indeed, Enma Kozato. Kufufufu…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tsuna saw the dream in black and white. He recognized nothing, recognized no one, and yet it all seemed familiar. He was floating, sometimes seeing things from the side like a movie, sometimes being an actor in the play. He saw himself as a child, younger than he ever remembered. Sometimes he saw things from his own eyes with lack of a baby's innocence. <strong>_

_**He was crawling after something shiny and round when he was swept up around his middle and held up in the air. He wasn't scared; on the contrary, he was delighted. He laughed and gurgled and reached down to grab a tuft of hair. The sound was muted, as if he were listening through faulty speakers. The words of the person holding him were lost, but they were gentle and filled with love. **_

_** The scene changed. He was now a spectator, watching himself take his first, tottering steps. His younger self ran in to the arms of a boy not much older than he and almost fell. The boy held him up with thin but strong arms and wrapped his arms around him in a protective embrace. Again the younger him laughed and he saw the boy give a tiny smile…**_

_** Again the scene changed, but it was chaotic and terrifying. Again he was a baby. He was being carried in someone's arms through a hazy looking forest. The person holding him was cloudy and almost impossible to discern. All features were blocked, even height. **_

_** They were being chased. By whom or by what was uncertain, but the terrible feeling within Tsuna's stomach flooded slowly throughout his body. He cried out in fear and the one holding him smothered him with a cloth. He understood the need to be silent…**_

_** Suddenly chaos ensued. The world turned upside down and he screamed. The subdued sounds of a scuffle off to the side were heard. Tsuna attempted to turn his head but he was unable to move. Then as if the sound was turned up, all noise was abruptly discernible. There were shouts of anger and terror. Footsteps echoed and slowly grew fainter as the chasers were now chased away…**_

_** A person's face came back in to view. The only part that Tsuna could see were the eyes, but the face already seemed familiar. A dark, sticky liquid ran down the face from an unseen source. **_

_** Another yell was heard and the face snapped to look towards the direction from which it came. He cursed lowly and began to use his hands to dig a hole in the ground. The ground was not made up of solid land; it seemed to be made of some sort of cotton. **_

_**The person grabbed him and flipped him over on to his stomach. He grabbed something on Tsuna's back and pulled hard. There was a blinding sensation of pain and Tsuna screamed and cried. Regardless, the person grabbed Tsuna and held him over the hole, speaking directly at the baby for the first time.**_

_** "You must live!" the voice was that of a child. "You must!" and then the person let go and he was falling falling falling…!**_

* * *

><p>Tsuna awoke with a start. "AGH!"<p>

"Whoa!" Enma gave a huge jump. "Don't scare me like that!"

Tsuna blinked. Where was he? What was going on? Why wasn't he falling?

He looked around and slowly took in his surroundings. This was his room. This was his bed. Enma was sitting in his favorite cushy armchair next to his bedside, reading a book. Judging by the light from the window, it was already late at night.

"W-What happened?" Tsuna breathed.

"You fainted," Enma got up and sat down on the edge of Tsuna's bed. "I guess your anemia hasn't gone away. You used to pass out a lot when you were little. There were times as a baby where you even stopped breathing for a while."

Tsuna had calmed down enough now. "Oh," he sighed. "Sorry, Enma, I had a really weird dream. I dreamed that I was in a strange place where the ground was cotton and I was falling through it and…"

Enma reached over and patted Tsuna comfortingly on the head. "It was only a dream. You shouldn't worry about it so much," he said gently. "Just forget about it."

"But it all seemed so _real_."

"All dreams seem real, little brother. But they are nothing more than a dream."

"Yeah..." Tsuna smiled. "Yeah... you're right."

"Go take a shower. You're all sweaty."

"Mm. Okay," Tsuna got up and rummaged through his closet for a change of clothes. When he turned around, Enma was staring at him intently. "What? Do you want to come in with me?"

Enma smiled. "It's alright. Maybe some other time. We haven't bathed together for such a long time, huh…"

"Let's do it tomorrow," Tsuna grinned. "I'll scrub your back if you scrub mine."

"Another Japanese thing?"

"Not really. I think it's an American saying."

"America? That's old already!"

Tsuna laughed and went in to his bathroom. Enma chuckled until he heard the water turn on. Then he stopped, hunched over, and clamped his hands tightly together to the point where his knuckles turned white.

"Why does he know…" Enma said slowly. "Why are his memories coming back now…?" he breathed shakily. "Tsuna, please," he whispered. "I've already lost Mami, I don't want to lose you too…"

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Tsuna was clean and well refreshed. He went to lie on his bed and sighed contently. "Mm. Long showers are the best," he rolled over. "Enma already went back too… maybe I should go to sleep soon…" he laid still for a while before standing up and walking towards his personal balcony. The sweet breeze of spring blew gently on his face and he smiled. "I wonder how the festival ended…"<p>

He leaned back and let the wind caress his cheeks when an unwelcome and familiar chill suddenly ran over him. "Ugh…!" he shuddered and crouched down, feeling unpleasant shivers rack his body. "Again… it's happening again…!" he gasped, feeling short of breath. "Where is the feeling coming from…?"

There was a set of stairs from his balcony that led down in to one of the Terra gardens. He slowly took the steps, one at a time, clutching his midriff the entire time. The feeling was coming straight from the forest surrounding the castle, and the closer he got, the lesser the terrible feeling felt. He meandered bit by bit through the trees, unsure of what he was doing. It felt as if he were in a haze.

_Come…_

Tsuna froze. An ethereal whisper slowly rustled through the leaves. "Who are you?" he whispered back.

There was softly, ghostly laughter. _I am a key holder…_ the trees whispered. _I am a demon…_

Tsuna gave a squeak of fear and began to run. He did not know where he was going, nor did he care. All he wanted to do was get away from that place as fast as possible. He stumbled between tree trunks until he came to a sudden clearing, where that horrible feeling finally faded.

"Thank god," he groaned, sitting down on the grass and panting lightly for breath. "I got away…"

"I would not be so sure of that," came an amused and all too familiar voice. Tsuna whirled around to face dichromatic eyes, of deep blue and evil red. "Good to see you again, young prince Tsunayoshi Kozato."

Tsuna fell backwards. "Hiii… I-I can't say the same for you," his voice quivered.

The slave from the festival laughed. He spoke again in Japanese "Kuhahaha! At least you have the slightest bit of backbone. This would be boring if you didn't."

"Who are you?" Tsuna whispered. "Who?"

"I have been watching you for a very long time now," the slave came closer. "I have many names and many identities… but as for a name…" he knelt down to take Tsuna's chin between his lithe fingers and brushed his mouth against the brunette's ear, again sending shivers up his spine.

_"You may call me Rokudo Mukuro."_

* * *

><p>Gotta love our evil illusionist. I will be putting up some character files so that you can keep track of each character's new role. I understand how confusion AUs may be. Aiyaiyai...<p>

**Terra Kingdom**: The world ruled by the immortal King Cozart Shimon and his descendants. All royal Famiglia members of Terra have red eyes and hair, a trait like no other. Each King is called 'Shimon Primo, Shimon Segundo, Shimon Tercero' and so on. Terra consists of seven continents named _Terra _(Earth), _Ghiacciao_ (Glacier), _Selva_ (Forest), _Deserto_ (Desert), _Palude_ (Swamp), _Montagna_ (Mountian), and _Metallo_ (Metal). Terra came to be after the 'Merge of Land', or when the seven original continents crashed together to form one giant piece of land. The main language of Terra is Italian, but there is also Spanish, English, Latin, and French. Citizens of Terra also worship the Roman Gods, and hold festivals for them every month. The citizens of Terra are called _Humanos_. The special treasure of the Royal Famiglia are the Shimon Rings, crafted by the Cielo metal smith Talbot when Cielo and Terra were still on good terms.

**Cielo Empire (Oozora Empire)**: A domain floating in the sky, ruled by the immortal Emperor Vongola Giotto_. _Unlike Terra, the regions in Cielo float in the sky in a column. Despite Terra calling the regions by their Italian names (_Cielo, Tempesta, Pioggia, Sole, Fulmine, Nuvolo, Nebbia_), the people of Cielo call their regions _Sora_ (Sky), _Arashi _(Storm), _Ame_ (Rain), _Taiyou_ (Sun), _Kaminari_ (Lightning), _Kumo_ (Cloud), and _Kiri_ (Mist). Likewise, instead of _Angelos_, they refer to themselves as _Tenshi_. _Tenshi_ have beautiful wings which with they are born. The color of the wings depend on the region. The Empire also has a treasure crafted by Talbot; the Vongola Rings, equal in power to the Shimon Rings. Japanese is Cielo's main language, but there is also Chinese and Korean mixed in, especially on the borders of the capitals in each region. For a point of interest the capital of _Kumo_ is _Namimori_, while the capital of _Kiri_ is _Kokuyo_.

**Mare Domain**: It is the biggest territory out of the three worlds but is also the most mysterious. Mare keeps itself to itself and rarely interferes with the ongoing war between Terra and Cielo. There have been rumors that the _Tritones_ (Merfolk) have power equal to the rings of Vongola and Shimon...

**Arcobaleno Realm**: A country that was used as a bridge between Cielo and Terra. A combination of _Humanos_ and _Angelos_ used to live there in harmony... before it was destroyed by Terra as a declaration of war. The Seven Sacred Sages of the Arcobaleno Realm are rumored to have perished during the attack, and the mystical _Arcobaleno Pacifiers_ were lost forever...

**Tsunayoshi Kozato (a.k.a. Tsuna)**: The 14-year-old protagonist. The second prince to the Terra Kingdom, he is innocent, easily scared, and naive to the world. Despite his mild-mannered nature, he is much sharper and knowledgeable than most people think. Enma considers Tsuna strong because he is able to take all insults with a smile. Despite the constant unkindness from his subjects, he is very kind and gentle to those in need. As a result, though many of the nobles dislike him, he has a great many fans among the commoners.

**Enma Kozato**: Tsuna's older brother by three years. He is the eldest prince of the Terra Kingdom and the next in line for the throne. Enma, like his younger brother, is very kind and gentle, but can be easily angered and frustrated. He is wise and often helps the Terra Council make decisions (though whether or not his opinions truly count remain to be seen). He apparently used to have another younger sibling, Mami Kozato, who died mysteriously several years ago. It was thought that she had been killed by Angelos, though he seems to bear no visible grudge.

**Cozart Shimon**: The Immortal King of Terra. He has been around for almost thousands of years. There are rumors that he had lived during the Dawn of Time, along with Vongola Giotto. Cozart is an immortal, but he does not like to continuously rule his kingdom. His descendants take control for him during long periods of time while Cozart oversees their decisions; otherwise he keeps himself to himself and only opens up to either Enma or Tsuna. Currently he is now King because Enma's father, the previous King, was killed during the war.

**Adelheid Suzuki**: The voluptuous Knight of Ghiacciao. Though she is often stern and reprimanding, she loves Terra and loves protecting its people. Like Tsuna, there are many unsavory rumors about her birth and father. Apparently, before the war, her mother shared a brief romance with a high-ranking Angelo. It has not been confirmed. She is fond of both Tsuna and Enma. She also likes Julie but will never admit it.

**Julie Katou**: The sarcastic and perverted son of Deserto's Knight. Despite the malicious and unkind way he acts, he deeply cares about people he is close to, particularly Adelheid whom he lovingly calls 'Adel'. He is the next Knight of Deserto and is a tricky fighter to face. He has no grudge against Tsuna, but still seems to dislike him...


	2. Emissary of Terra

I've always wanted to try replying to reviews publicly. Here goes.

**Hazzy**: I guess it was a bit long, wasn't it? This chapter was originally going to be a lot longer because Mukuro comes in a second time but I decided to save that for the third chapter. LOL, I normally don't write long chapters in the first place, but this story has so much needed information that I have to keep finding the proper place to put down some of the info. Thanks for being the first reviewer! Would you like me to do a request as a reward?

**Sam**: So you've never actually read _Katekyo Hitman Reborn_, but you know the story line? That's okay, this story is a total AU so it doesn't match up with the original anyway ;P. I've tried putting in more description for this one, but, well, I fail at descriptions... DX. If you have anymore advice, please tell me? And thanks for the praise ^.^

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><p><em>Rokudo Mukuro<em>.

Tsuna knew the name. Everyone in Terra knew the name. Rokudo Mukuro was an Angelo Caduto – an outlaw from Nebbia. He was the starter of the war itself, the murderer of a Famiglia on Terra. As a result, the battle between Terra and Cielo had exploded in to existence. Tsuna quaked with fear. Rokudo Mukuro was used by parents to make children obedient. _"Go to bed or I'll tell Mukuro!"_ Those within the Royal Famiglia were no exception.

However, Tsuna couldn't help but notice, the man in front of him was a far cry from what Tsuna had imagined. He had thought Rokudo Mukuro to be a burly, hideous, and vicious giant thrice as tall as himself. While the real Mukuro was indeed quite tall, he was handsome and spoke quite civilly. Gone were the rags of a slave; now he wore a classy trench coat, white trousers, black gloves, and knee-high boots. His long blue hair had been neatly tied back in to a ponytail and neatly combed, other than the strange patch of hair on the top of his head that strangely resembled a pineapple. Even more so, this man couldn't be more than his mid-twenties; far too young to be the starter of a war that began fifteen years ago.

"I know what you are thinking," Mukuro laughed. "You are thinking that I am too different from what you have heard. Rumors are interesting things, are they not? They spread like wildfire and yet never remain in the same form."

Tsuna gulped and inched away. Handsome or not, Rokudo Mukuro was still the notorious murderer and Tsuna's fear was still very, very real. Mukuro calmly pressed down on Tsuna and the boy gave a little scream of terror. "D-Don't kill me!"

"Why would I do that?" Mukuro leaned in. "I want you alive, Tsunayoshi Kozato, because you are still useful to me."

_U-Useful how?_

"But…" the blue-haired man examined Tsuna's face. "You look almost exactly like that person. I wonder if you have the same powers as well?"

Tsuna blinked. "Who are you talking about?" he asked nervously.

Mukuro tilted his head and this his face split once more in to that creepy smile. "Oya oya, it seems that you have been kept in the dark for fourteen years. How pitiful, chibi-Ouji," the dark aura around him seemed to intensify. "What to do… shall I tell you everything?"

Tsuna shuddered wildly and clung to himself. "W-Whatever is fine! Just stop doing that!"

"'That'? What is 'that'?"

"That weird air around you! It's driving me mad!" Tsuna yelped, clawing at his arms. "Turn it down or something! I know you can control it!"

Mukuro's eyebrows shot up. "You can sense it?"

"I can!" Tsuna gave the murderer the fiercest glare he could muster. "So could you _please _stop!"

Mukuro studied Tsuna intently. "Interesting. Can you see this?" the dark air around him pulsed and solidified. To Tsuna's shock, the older man's red eye burst in to an indigo flame.

"Your eye!" Tsuna shrieked. "Oh no! We need to put it out! Where's a lake? Or a pond!" he began to run in useless circles. "Agggh! Where's water?"

Mukuro watched him run around before chuckling and finally bursting out in to full-blown laughter. "KUHAHAHAHA! You are interesting as always, Tsunayoshi Kozato. Even for an obvious enemy, you remain kind."

Tsuna stopped running and saw that the flame had gone out. "… I'm not kind, I'm just using common sense!" he retorted. "If you see a fire, the natural reaction is to put it out!"

"So if you were at a barbeque would you throw water on the food?" Mukuro asked amusedly. Tsuna remained silent. Mukuro sensed that he was pouting. _How adorable._ "Now now, don't sulk. I'm simply toying with you. I want to tell you something, Tsunayoshi Kozato."

"What?" Tsuna mumbled, still angry over getting burned.

"Hmm, well," Mukuro smiled, cruelly and calculatingly. He had the perfect bait which he knew the young prince would not be able to resist, "what if I told you the truth behind your heritage?"

Tsuna's head shot up. "What about my heritage?" Tsuna tried to pull off a casual tone and only succeeding in voicing his curiosity. Mukuro knew about the many rumors that surrounded Tsuna's origin and birth. There were rumors that he was the illegitimate child between Enma's mother and a man she had an affair with. There were rumors that whispered that he was actually from Mare. There were rumors that on the day of his birth, a shooting star had fallen from Cielo down in to Terra…

Mukuro wondered if Tsuna knew which rumors were true. Then he wondered if Tsuna knew anything at all, if he remembered anything at all. He decided to play it safe and slowly dig through Tsuna's brain.

"Do you know who your father is?" Mukuro asked.

Tsuna gave the briefest of hesitations, "… Makoto Kozato."

"Really? You don't seem to be so sure," Mukuro smirked. "Then, who is your grandfather?"

"Cozart Shimon," Tsuna answered quickly this time… too quickly. Mukuro wisely held back his mirth.

"And your brother…?"

"Of course, it's Enma!" Tsuna snapped, finally looking angry. "What's with all the damn questions anyway?"

"My goodness, is that how a Prince of Terra should speak?" Mukuro arrogantly pressed the side of his pointer finger to his chin. "But that being said…" he leaned in again. Tsuna leaned away. Rather than fear, he felt exasperation.

But the next thing that Mukuro said to him left him completely disoriented.

"What if I told you your father _is not_ Makoto Kozato, your grandfather _is not_ Cozart Shimon, and you have _no_ brothers, or even siblings for that matter?"

Tsuna stared at Mukuro without comprehension. "… I'm sorry, what?"

"Like I said, what if I told you your father _is not_ – "

"I heard you the first time! But what did you _mean_?" Tsuna pressed forcefully.

"It is exactly as it sounds," Mukuro smirked.

Tsuna stared at him. "That's impossible," he said finally. "I am part of the Kozato Famiglia. What ridiculous ideas are running through your head?"

"I'm afraid that I cannot tell you here," Mukuro smiled brilliantly. His voice turned soothing and coaxing. "But I can tell you many secrets of many wonders. I can show you the world and its corruption. I can show you anything you wish to see," Mukuro held out one of his elegantly gloved hands. "But that will require you to come with me and leave behind everything that you know now."

Tsuna stared at the outstretched hand and looked back up at Mukuro's handsome face. "Why on Terra would I go with you?" he asked, genuinely intrigued.

Mukuro smiled and Tsuna blinked. This smile was neither arrogant nor spiteful. It was a genuine smile that left Tsuna dazzled. "For what I can offer you," he said lowly. "And I can offer you everything."

Tsuna stared at the hand, questions running through his mind. He was dense, but not stupid. He knew of the suspicions that the Terra Kingdom subjects had about him. He knew every single rumor that had passed him by (Julie had 'kindly' kept him informed).

_So many stories about my birth… _

_ All of them Enma claims to be false but they still whisper them behind my back…_

_And this man…_

_ Claims that he can tell me everything…_

He reached out his own, trembling hand towards Mukuro's. Mukuro kept an encouraging smile on his face. Tsuna stared at the murderer in the face, clenched his eyes shut, and…

"… I won't," Tsuna yanked back his hand. "I won't…!"

"Oya?" Mukuro gazed at the little Prince and retracted his own hand. "That's too bad. And why not…?"

Tsuna's face was initially directed at the ground. He now raised it and glared at Mukuro with fire in his eyes. "My father is Makoto Kozato! My grandfather is Cozart Shimon! My brother is Enma Kozato! My name is Tsunayoshi Kozato, second Prince of the Terra Kingdom!" he shouted. "And I am no one else!"

With that, he turned tail and fled through the trees, back to the Terra Castle. Mukuro watched him go, his smile regaining its arrogance.

"I'm not done with you yet, my dear Tsunayoshi…" he murmured lowly. "The hourglass has just been turned…"

* * *

><p>Tsuna fled back to his room and buried himself underneath his white silk covers. "That creep!" he muttered. "That liar!" He sighed and flopped his bushy head on to his feather pillows, calming down a little. "I hope that I never see him again…"<p>

He drifted off to sleep, conveniently forgetting to shut the glass doors to his balcony; convenient, that is, for a certain blue haired criminal to slid easily in to the room.

"Kufufu… you don't think that much of me, do you Tsunayoshi," he chuckled and approached the bed. "You underestimate me…"

Something long and metal materialized in Mukuro's gloved hand. It was a trident, or perhaps more accurately, the devil's pitchfork. The murderer twisted his weapon and the head of the trident was transformed in to a short sword. Taking it, he almost lovingly caressed Tsuna's face with the flat side of the blade. The point of the sword dropped down to the Prince's slender neck and drew a very thin red line.

Then as if in a trace, Mukuro gently cupped Tsuna's head and lifted it slightly to gain easier access. His tongue found the newly made cut and slowly lapped up the trickle of blood that ran down the brunette's collarbone. Tsuna, still asleep, let out a small whimper and twitched. Mukuro languidly placed his mouth on the cut and sucked like a vampire enjoying a tasty treat.

"Ah…!" Tsuna gasped in his sleep and jerked. Mukuro chuckled and set Tsuna's head back on to the pillows. He stroked Tsuna's soft hair and something resembling a fond smile formed on Mukuro's lips.

"How long as it been since I have been able to gaze upon you…?" he murmured. "The way you sleep hasn't changed at all. Still like a baby."

He bent to kiss Tsuna's brow. "Good-bye, Tsunayoshi," he whispered. "Dream of me."

Laughing quietly at the cheesy but accurate meaning of the statement, Mukuro exited the room via balcony and was shrouded in mist. As the mist grew thicker Mukuro's silhouette grew fainter, until the fog dissipated and he was gone.

* * *

><p>Tsuna awoke to a beam of artificial sunlight shining in his eyes. "Unngh, that's bright," he mumbled, shielding his face with his hands. He rolled over and checked the clock. "8:00 a.m.…" the young prince sat up and stretched. "Better get up…"<p>

He changed in to his expensive daywear (silk shirt, brown trousers, and Oxford shoes) and headed down the long winding halls of the castle towards the Dining Hall. As he entered the room, several serving maids respectfully greeted him. He replied to them with a smile. A huge mahogany table at the center of the room was groaning under a feast of breakfast goodies. Enma and Cozart were already seated, discussing something quietly between them.

"I won't stand for it… it's an outrage…!" Enma were murmuring when he spotted his younger brother and got up with a start. "Ts-Tsuna! Morning…"

"Good morning," Tsuna replied, looking puzzled by the first Prince's response. "Good morning, Grandfather Cozart."

"Good morning, Tsunayoshi," Cozart smiled at his youngest grandson. As Tsuna sat down, he cast a warning glance at Enma's direction, silently telling him to say no more. Enma acknowledged the glance with a nod and hastily began to make Tsuna a breakfast plate.

"Do you want eggs, Tsuna? Bacon?"

"And some toast, please," Tsuna requested, pouring himself a fragrant cup of coffee from a silver teapot. One of the serving maids scurried forwards only to be waved back by Cozart. "Let them handle it. They're big boys now."

"The correct term is 'young men', Grandfather," Enma smiled as he handed Tsuna his plate.

"Not in my eyes," the King chuckled, red eyes twinkling. "You have a long way to go before I consider you men."

"You mean _I've _still got a long way to go," Tsuna grumbled. "I'm still small for my age."

"You're not as small as you used to be, Tsuna," Enma grinned. "You're hitting puberty. Though your growth spurt may be a little… detained."

"You just said that I got bigger!" Tsuna pouted.

"Not big enough."

"How big is big enough?"

"Perhaps around Kaoru's height…"

"HIIII! That's impossible for me!"

Laughter rang through the Dining Hall and all the serving maids chuckled, glad to see their masters so happy.

But the pseudo-happiness was not to last.

* * *

><p>Tsuna had almost forgotten about Mukuro and the strange things he had said. He was only painfully reminded later that morning when the Council of Elders made an impromptu announcement.<p>

The Throne Room had always entranced Tsuna. The walls were decorated with tapestries, featuring the previous Kings of Terra. Makoto Kozato was there among them, his confident smile a large contrast from Enma's somber face. The floor was of brightly polished cherry wood, decorated with a long red and gold carpet leading up to the Royal Throne of Shimon.

There were three thrones in total. The one in the center was the largest and the most grand, made out of solid gold and red velvet. The one on the left was identical, only slightly smaller. The one of the right still had red velvet padding but was instead made entirely out of silver. It was also smaller than the other two, made for the Queen of Terra to sit on. On the account that Enma was still underage to be in lifelong commitment, Tsuna instead sat in the chair during important events, despite the disapproving looks of the nobles and Elders.

Tsuna, however, was not admiring the Throne Room at that immediate moment. He was instead worriedly eyeing his brother, who looked the same as the night when their parents had died.

Enma was sitting on the throne, his face downcast. Beside him, in a slightly smaller throne, was Cozart, a grave look on his face. Tsuna wondered what had happened in the span of a short hour to make his brother and grandfather so depressed. Earlier they had sat around the breakfast table, joking and laughing before a messenger from the Council of Elders had come in. The messenger whispered something to Enma, whose face turned from merriment to dread. He had hollowly told Cozart that it was time and told Tsuna to come to the Throne Room in an hour. Tsuna had obediently followed orders and came exactly on time, a rarity for the clumsy prince. The Council of Elders was standing off to the side, looking eagerly at Tsuna; which was a very, very bad sign because they had never looked at him like that before.

"Tsunayoshi Kozato," Cozart began to speak, addressing Tsuna by his full name, "you are the second Prince of Terra, the child of Makoto Shimon and brother to Enma Kozato. Since you were born, we have raised you for a specific purpose, and the time to fulfill that purpose has arrived. You – " he closed his eyes as if his next words were too painful to say. "You are to be sent to Cielo."

The words seemed to sock Tsuna in the gut. He opened his mouth, closed it, swallowed, then opened it again and repeated. He could not get any words out. Cozart regarded him sadly, as if expecting the reaction.

"This will come as a terrible shock, I know, Tsuna," Cozart affectionately switched to using his grandson's nickname, notwithstanding the Council of Elders' disdainful stares. "But this is a very necessary step to finally achieving peace."

"But, Grandfather," Tsuna said in a small voice, "I… can't fight."

Cozart chuckled. "Cielo above, boy! I'm not going to throw my own grandson out in the front lines of a battle. You are simply an emissary, a messenger to my old friend Vongola Giotto. If he accepts the offer for peace then the war will finally be over."

"Just like that?" Tsuna asked dizzily, still not being able to accept the whole 'your-being-sent-to-an-enemy-country' thing.

"Just like that," Cozart said after the tiniest of hesitations that Tsuna did not miss. His grandfather was lying. There was something more than what he was being told.

"May I take someone with me?" he asked hopefully, glancing at his older brother who still looked like his soul had left his body.

"Certainly not," came a snide voice from the Council of Elders just as Cozart was saying, "Perhaps." There was a momentary death-glare match between the two sides before the Council of Elders broke off with much grumbling. Cozart turned back to Tsuna. "But not Enma."

Enma's head shot up and Tsuna realized with shock that his older brother's red eyes were completely bloodshot; he had been crying. Enma glared at his grandfather with a kind of unrestrained fury and Tsuna was tempted to back away. He heard a shuffling noise from his right and realized that the Council was thinking the same thing.

Cozart gazed levelly back at his (currently) eldest grandson until the Prince averted his eyes and returned to staring at his feet. Tsuna gulped and timidly voiced, "T-Then may I take Adelheid of Ghiacciao with me?"

"Not Adelheid either," Cozart replied. "I have already arranged for someone to travel with you. He will be useful to you… and you to him."

The last part was said quietly but Tsuna's ears still caught it. He gulped again and wondered exactly what he was getting in to. "When do I leave?"

"In two days," Cozart waved his hand to silence Tsuna before he protested. "There is no time to waste, Tsunayoshi Kozato."

Realizing that the usage of his full name was a warning, Tsuna gave a curt bow and murmured, "I hear and obey, my King," before peeking again at Enma and hoping that he was okay.

"You may leave now. Leave us to discuss the details of your journey," a member of the Council of Elders dismissed him.

"Yes sir," Tsuna bowed one last time and exited the room and wandered slowly through the hallways, towards his room and sitting down on his bed before promptly bursting in to tears.

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><p>"You handled that well enough," Cozart remarked to Enma, who glared at him again.<p>

"You told me that I could go too!" he whispered in rage.

Cozart shook his head. "I told you that Tsuna would not be going alone. I did not say that you were going. You have a duty to fulfill on Terra, Enma."

"Screw my duties!" Enma roared, standing up. The entire Council jumped and scurried away to a separate room. "I can't let my little brother go out there! I won't let him!" tears began to leak out of his eyes. "They'll kill him! Just like they killed Mami!" he collapsed back on to the Throne and cried like a baby. "Mami, my Mami…!"

"Enough! A Prince should not present such unsightly behavior," Cozart said sternly. "Tsuna will not be going alone, and he will not be defenseless! His companion will be his bodyguard and protector, Enma. Tsuna is in good hands, I can promise you this much."

Enma did not lift his face from his hands but he gave the tiniest nod and Cozart took it as a sign of assent. He continued to gently pat his grandson on the back, murmuring comforting words to soothe the tormented feelings of the Prince who felt as if he had sent his remaining family member to his doom.

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><p>Admittedly, I'm not sure if I actually want to add shounen-ai in here; or romance for that matter. Who wants a vote? ^^'<p>

**Council of Elders**: A group of high-ranking nobles within the nobles who are renown for their past deeds in their youth. However, like all elders, they are susceptible to gossip and suspicious. They do not trust Cozart and trust Tsuna even less. They hope to make Enma their puppet when it is his time to rule the kingdom. Cozart is considered an obstacle. This is to be noted; the Council of Elders are _not_ the same as the Terra Council, of which was mentioned in the previous chapter, but not introduced. Enma was meeting the Council of Elders in the Terra Council's _room_.


	3. Illusions of the Past

Has anyone else noticed that the TYL Hibari is more prone to smiling than the present Hibari? Just a point of interest that I thought some people would find interesting. Maybe some good things have happened to him in the past ten years ^_^

**heidiooskyy**: Thanks soo much for reviewing ^_^ There are so many characters to introduce that I'm not sure how to do them all *sigh*. I'm working on it though, slowly but steadily. I've already had most of the roles planned out since early summer.

**TakeshiYamamoto2980:** YES, MUKURO IS A PERVERT. AS WE ALL OBVIOUSLY KNOW 8D. And I'm glad that you don't find my long chapters a bother ^3^. Also, you're supposed to hate the Council of Elders. They wouldn't be a Council of Elders if everybody liked them. They're all hateful old fogeys.

**Sam:** I'd go with the manga first, and then the anime. Since the manga is the original and the anime came after, it's natural, right? But then again, I heard that Amano Akira-sensei, the person who writes KHR, also wrote the scripts and plots for the anime including all the filler arcs. So whichever sounds better is up to you. But I'd suggest the manga. BWAHAHA, MY CLIFFHANGERS ARE MADE TO KILL. 8D

**Hazzy:** GIMME A PROMPT WOMAN (you are a woman, right?), 2700/0027 ISN'T MY MAIN PAIRING, BUT I WANNA WRITE IT ANYWAY. Wow, that looks weird in all caps with an interruption in the middle. But seriously, give me a prompt. Please (and nice job on bringing Sam to KHR. Brainwash her!). I did have this thing planned out for a while. Since... May, I think. My school notebooks were covered with fanfiction notes because I got obsessed on how I was going to write this.

**Unknown Variable**: LOL, I already gave you a reply, but safe to say that there will only be shounen-ai, not yaoi. Sorry to all yaoi fans. If you're looking for hot and heavy smut, then I'd suggest changing the filter to 'Rated M'. But there will be shounen-ai for the fangirls and Mukuro being a pervert because... just because.

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><p><strong><em>Tsuna had cried himself to sleep. Again he was dreaming – in full color this time – and again he was watching a memory that he did not remember but seemed all too familiar.<em>**

**_He watched as his younger self, perhaps two years old, ran in to the arms of a person he did not recognize. The person was tall and imposing, yet he cuddled the younger Tsuna like a teddy bear and laughed as the baby tugged at his blonde hair. The person's back was facing Tsuna, but just as the man was about to turn around, a hand enveloped the young Prince's eyes and he could not see a thing._**

_A familiar and unpleasant chill made his body shiver. He spoke in a frightened voice, hoping that he was wrong._

_"Mukuro?"_

_"Kufufu…" the hand tightened around his face. "If you remember everything now, that wouldn't be very fun, now would it? Just focus on me, little Ouji. Do not think about anything else."_

_It was rather difficult _to _think of anything else at that moment, but he did as Mukuro ordered and allowed only the criminal to remain in his mind. Eventually Mukuro lifted his hand from Tsuna's eyes and allowed Tsuna to once more see… nothing. There was nothing around the two of them, only darkness and lingering silence._

_Tsuna turned and saw the blue-haired man standing uncomfortably close to him. "Kufufu… miss me?"_

_"Not really," Tsuna said in a small voice._

_Mukuro chuckled once more and made a large sweeping gesture. What happened next made Tsuna's mouth drop open until Mukuro made him close it._

_As Mukuro swept his arm across the darkness, the scene changed. Lush green grass suddenly appeared from beneath their feet and spread throughout… wherever they were. The darkness above them changed to a brilliant blue sky dotted with clouds. Flowers bloomed in enormous qualities, their dainty petals cradling drops of dew. Tsuna and Mukuro sat beneath a huge tree with pink flowers that the young Prince had never seen before. He looked up to the sky and immediately looked away; a huge ball of light was shining directly in to his face. He looked down at himself and realized that he was dressed in simple, white clothing that looked almost like pajamas. Mukuro was wearing similar attire._

_"What's that?" was his first question, pointing up at the ball of light._

_Mukuro looked mildly surprised before smiling with understanding. "Ah, of course, you wouldn't remember. That is Sole, little Ouji, the orb that shines upon all and brightens all with its light. I suppose the Humanos who are as young as you would not know either; Terra only has artificial sunlight now after all."_

_Tsuna attempted to look more at the sun but was forced to turn away his eyes. "It's beautiful," he whispered, enthralled. His fear melted away and was replaced with a refreshing curiosity. "And what are these?" he pointed up at the blossoms of the tree they were sitting underneath._

_"Cherry blossoms," Mukuro said. "_Sakura_ in the Japanese language. Lovely flowers, aren't they? They symbolize death you know."_

_A tiny bit of fear wormed back in to Tsuna's heart. "I-Is that so?" he muttered, making a mental note to stay away from sakura from then on._

_"Nervous, little Ouji?" Mukuro smiled. "Would you like something a little more calming?" he snapped his fingers and a serene little pond appeared in front of them. Underneath lily pads swam large fish the size of Tsuna's forearm. They had long whiskers that reminded Tsuna of a handlebar mustache. There was a turtle napping on a lily pad, not minding the dragonflies that occasionally landed on its back. Flowers floated on the water, of soft pink, pure white and soothing yellow. He stared at them before turning to Mukuro._

_"Those are…?"_

_"Lotuses, little Ouji. My favorite flowers; sakura comes in a close second," Mukuro smiled and reached out to cup one of the blossoms in his hand and gently tugged it from its stem. "And the fish are called koi fish. They're harmless despite their size, so don't worry. You can even pet them if you want to."_

_"No thanks," Tsuna eyed the fish's big mouths and shuddered. He looked up and once more gazed around their surroundings. "… Where are we exactly?"_

_"You finally ask," Mukuro said with another smile. "This is Eden, or Elysian, or Paradise, whatever you would prefer to call it. This is also Cozart Shimon's first home, during the Dawn of Time."_

_"Grandfather's?" Tsuna asked in awe. He knew that Cozart was an immortal, but to stand where he stood from almost a billion years ago… it was incredible. Then he remembered something and frowned. "What a moment… didn't Vongola Giotto live during the beginning of time too? Where did he live?"_

_"Where he lives now," Mukuro pointed upwards. "In Cielo."_

_"In Cielo?" Tsuna grew even more confused. "But… weren't they friends? How were they friends if they lived so far away?"_

_"Ahh," Mukuro smiled mysteriously, with a playful glint in his eyes, "now we finally come to the reason why I called you here."_

_"Finally?"_

_"Yes, I was wondering how long I would have to entertain you before you asked."_

… Why didn't you just tell me normally?

_"… So what did you want to tell me?"_

_"What do you know of Arcobaleno, Tsunayoshi?" Mukuro asked, using the Prince's name for the first time._

_"It was a separate world from Mare, Terra, and Cielo. During the beginning of the war, Arcobaleno sided with Cielo and was destroyed by Terra."_

_"Is that the extent of your knowledge?"_

_Tsuna blushed. Scholar Byakuran had not taught him anything beyond the small tidbit that he had just said. "T-That's all I know…"_

_"Hmm," Mukuro glanced at Tsuna out of the corner of his eye, still playing with the petals of the lotus. "Well, considering how much Terra is limiting your education, I'm surprised that you even heard of it. Very well, let me tell you something interesting."_

…Limiting my education? But Scholar Byakuran is the top tutor in Terra…

_"During the Dawn of Time, there were only two worlds. Cozart Shimon lived on Terra while Vongola Giotto lived up in Cielo. It is true that they did not know each other… at first, before Arcobaleno appeared."_

_As he spoke, Shimon suddenly rose from the Earth in front of them and was busily plowing a field. Tsuna's jaw dropped as he watched his extremely young-looking grandfather work. He attempted to call out but Cozart did not notice. He did not look as Tsuna knew him. This Cozart seemed younger, more energized and happier. There was no trace of sorrow in his eyes as his older self had. He was dressed in simple, Italian peasant clothing._

_"Are you ready, little Ouji?" Mukuro asked, a little smile playing on his scornful lips. "This is a story of Shimon and Vongola."_

_Tsuna gulped and nodded. He still remembered that Mukuro was a man to not be trusted… but his curiosity was insatiable._

_"One day, while Shimon was working out in the fields, a ray of light suddenly appeared from Cielo. The light split in to seven different colors and became a rainbow; the beginning of the Arcobaleno Realm."_

_Off in the distance, a rainbow indeed appeared and slowly grew and grew to enormous proportions. The imaginary Cozart, who was still plowing, did not look up until the end of Arcobaleno was right next to him. It was a solid wall of beauty which completely blocked Tsuna's view of the horizon. Cozart gazed up at the seven colors with wonder._

_Suddenly the entire picture froze in place and Mukuro turned to Tsuna. "Do you know the function of Arcobaleno now?"_

_Tsuna stared at the light connecting the earth and the heavens and said slowly, "… It's a bridge?"_

_"Correct," the scene unfroze and Mukuro continued to narrate. "Shimon climbed up Arcobaleno and started his ascent to Cielo. He was about halfway there when he realized that someone was coming down from the other direction."_

_The imaginary Cozart was indeed halfway up Arcobaleno when another figure appeared from the opposite side. This figure was tall with glowing orange eyes and messy blond hair. He wore, instead of the common Italian clothing that Tsuna was used to, a long flowing kimono. Tsuna recognized the style from books; the kimono of an emperor. For some strange reason, he looked so familiar… as if Tsuna had just seen him._

_"When Vongola and Shimon met, it was instant friendship. Cozart traveled to the above world to explore with his new friend."_

_The imaginary duo began to move upwards towards the clouds and disappeared from Tsuna's view. Perturbed, he glanced at Mukuro who simply smiled sweetly._

_"However, when Vongola attempted to come down to Terra…"_

_The couple reappeared from the clouds and came down Arcobaleno towards Terra. However, as soon as Giotto touched the ground, he collapsed. Tsuna sprang up in panic before Mukuro tugged him down._

_"It was discovered that Vongola was unable to bear Terra's air, which was filled with something poisonous to Angelos."_

_"Poisonous?"_

_"Yes, look," Mukuro pointed to Giotto who writhed on the ground in pain, wrapping his arms around himself and groaning. Cozart was attempting to help his new friend, but then Giotto arched his back and something huge and glowing on his back began to grow and grow._

_Wings erupted violently from the Emperor's back in a storm of feathers. The wings were huge, sparkling orange, and simply _beautiful_. Tsuna's eyes grew round with wonder, as did Cozart's. Giotto's huge wings flapped and then he was flying, back up towards Cielo… before his wings suddenly disappeared and he landed with a loud thump halfway up Arcobaleno. Cozart panicked and immediately shot up after him._

_"The air on Terra is especially poisonous to Angelos because of their wings," Mukuro explained. "Angelo wings are made out of Trinisette, while the air on Terra is laced with Nontrinisette. Vongola almost died on his first visit to Terra, but thanks to Shimon's extensive knowledge of herbs and plants, Vongola was cured."_

_On Arcobaleno, Giotto sat up and seemed to be okay. Both Tsuna and Cozart gave a huge sigh of relief._

_"But I thought that Terra was poisonous to Angelos."_

_"The _air_ is, but not what grows on it. You'd be surprised at how many Angelos enjoy coffee."_

_Tsuna regarded him skeptically but kept quiet. Mukuro seemed to sense his thoughts and chuckled once more._

_"And so their friendship lasted. They met constantly in Arcobaleno or Cozart would pay a surprise visit up in Cielo. Many years passed by before, finally, they became lonely."_

_"Lonely?"_

_"There were only two of them in all the worlds, Tsunayoshi. It's not surprising that they would become lonely," Mukuro gestured at Cozart, who sat on the ground, staring at the soil. "One day Shimon came up with an idea. He sculpted a figure like him from the soil. He created the first woman."_

_Cozart built up large piles of mud and grass and carefully shaved away at them, forming a torso, arms, legs, a head, a pretty face. For hair, he chose leaves and long strands of grass. Cozart stepped back to admire his work and smiled, satisfied._

_"Up above in Cielo, Vongola saw his friend's 'woman' and decided to create one of his own. He took a piece of the great blue Sky and fashioned his own ideal beauty."_

_Tsuna looked up and saw Giotto busily working on something. Small fragments of the sky came raining down as Giotto chipped away. Tsuna caught one; it was like clear, light blue glass, shimmering softly in the sunlight. Tsuna discovered that if he tilted it eastward or westward, the fragment would turn orange, and if he flipped it over altogether, it would turn black. Peering at it, Tsuna discovered that the black side had tiny little dots of light on it. _What are these?_ he wondered._

_"Pay attention, Tsunayoshi," Mukuro gently knocked him on the head. "However, both of these 'women' were not alive. They had no life force. Both Shimon and Vongola wished for them to move and breathe as they did, but nothing could bring them to life, until…"_

_The scene suddenly changed. They were standing at what Tsuna recognized to be the edge of the Mare Domain. The ocean stretched out before them, so beautiful and so powerful that Cozart, who was also there, fell to his knees in the white sand._

_"In order to seek a method to bring his sculpture to life, Shimon traveled all over the world. He soon came upon the world of Mare where he met the first _Tritone_ – the first merman."_

_Out from the sea arose another man, but this man was none like Tsuna had ever seen. Instead of ordinary hands and feet, he had webbed fingers and a fishtail. There were gills on his neck and he was naked from the waist up, revealing translucent green scales. His hair was dark green and his eyes were the color of Mare. To Tsuna, he looked oddly familiar._

_In his webbed hands he held a small bottle made out of sea glass, filled with a mysterious liquid which seemed to pulse with life. Cozart slowly approached the Tritone and gazed at the bottle with undisguised desire._

_"The first Tritone offered Shimon the 'Water of Vitality', a substance that could bring anything to life. A mere drop could make an inanimate object become alive and humanoid. Shimon took the water with gratitude and promised to help the Tritone in any way possible if he needed it."_

_Cozart took the bottle and seemed to thank the Tritone profusely. The merman merely smiled before his head sunk under the waves and he was gone._

_"Shimon ran back to his precious sculpture of his woman and put a single drop of liquid on her mouth and she miraculously came to life. Shimon immediately fell in love with her."_

_Tsuna stared as the sculpture of the woman became a real woman. The earth seemed to melt away from her body to reveal smooth human skin. The grass and leaves turned in to real hair which blew in the wind. Finally when she looked up, she had a beautiful face which smiled gently at Cozart. Enraptured, Cozart flung his arms around her and kissed her. Tsuna coughed politely and turned away, embarrassed to witness his grandfather's first moment of passion. He coughed again, his ears turning a delicate shade of pink, and looked pointedly at Mukuro._

_Mukuro took the hint and laughed. "Kufufu, too stimulating for you? Alright, I'll move on. Why not a change of scenery?"_

_He snapped his fingers and suddenly Mukuro and Tsuna were floating in midair! Tsuna gave a squeal of fright and clung on to Mukuro, wrapping his arms around the criminal's torso. Mukuro chuckled again and wrapped a reassuring arm around the young Prince. Said Prince frowned, as the feeling felt… strangely nostalgic. Why were so many things so familiar all of a sudden?_

_"Look over there," Mukuro pointed to a cloud where Giotto was standing. "That is Vongola's wife."_

_Tsuna looked and saw what looked to be a sculpture of pure ice. He looked again and realized that the sculpture was made out of the sky, in the shape of a woman with Angelo wings. Giotto was gazing at her with longing._

_"Just like Pygmalion*," Mukuro chuckled. "Anyway, soon Shimon traveled upwards to Cielo with his wife and gave the Water of Vitality to Vongola. He explained how it worked and how he obtained it. Excited, Vongola immediately gave his sculpture a single drop of the water and she came to life as well."_

_Tsuna watched as Giotto embraced his new wife and kissed her. He sighed happily as he watched his grandfather and his grandfather's best friend, along with their wives, traveled down Arcobaleno._

_"More wonderful years passed before they hit another problem. During this time, both Vongola and Shimon bore children."_

_The scene changed again. They were once more sitting underneath the sakura tree next to the koi pond. Tsuna saw Cozart with his wife and three kids with red hair and red eyes. They were going up Arcobaleno while what looked like Giotto and his wife coming down. Squinting harder, Tsuna could see four children, all with golden hair like their father, coming down from Cielo. As they met, the children began to play together, the four children of the sky taking the three children of the earth for trips of flight through the air._

_"What was the problem?" Tsuna asked, confused. "They seem really happy."_

_"The problem is," Mukuro explained, "that how would the race of Humanos and Angelos survive? Sister could not marry brother, nor could Humano marry Angelo, not without abandoning Terra because of the Nontrinisette. They came up with a solution to fix this problem."_

_"How?"_

_"Simply to create more people," Mukuro smiled. "Are you aware of the seven continents of Terra and the seven regions of Cielo?"_

_"Yes," Tsuna nodded._

_"Well, both Shimon and Vongola traveled to the seven separate locations – for each world – and created people from there. They created many people, so many that the Water of Vitality slowly dwindled to almost nothing."_

_Before Tsuna's eyes, people from the earth rose and became humans and walked. Civilization rose up from nothing and crumbled and then was rebuilt. Looking up, he saw that Angelos with wings of seven different colors flying through the sky._

_"Since Humanos and Angelos had nowhere to live together, Vongola and Shimon decided to turn Arcobaleno into a fourth world where they could live in harmony. Using the last of the Water of Vitality, Vongola and Shimon created the Seven Sacred Sages. However, the water was so little that they could not make full humans."_

_"What do you mean, not full humans?" Tsuna frowned._

_Mukuro chuckled. "For now, that's a secret. Moving on, the Seven Sacred Sages were formed out of the seven colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. From there on, the Seven Sages used their powers to build whole civilizations on Arcobaleno and Angelos and Humanos moved to Arcobaleno where they could finally live together."_

_The scene around them melted and they were sitting on a cloud, floating next to Arcobaleno. Tsuna saw children running around, some with wings, some without. They were laughing and playing together, so naïve and so pure. Tsuna felt his heart ache._

_"And then?" Tsuna asked, hoping for more._

_"And that's it," Mukuro smiled. Suddenly the entire world seemed to disappear with a 'poof!' and then he and Tsuna were once more sitting in a world of darkness._

_"HIII!" Tsuna shrieked. "Wait… that's it? That can't be it! What happened with the war?"_

_"Oh my," Mukuro chuckled. "Are you sure you want to know? It's not a pretty story."_

_"I want to know!" Tsuna demanded. "I want to know why Grandfather and Emperor Giotto suddenly became enemies! I want to know!"_

_"Settle down!" Mukuro gave Tsuna a squeeze and the Prince gave a huge jolt, realizing that he had been in Mukuro's arms the entire time. "Alright, I'll tell you the rest. Let's skip ahead a little."_

_Mukuro moved to wave his hand again, but then he seemed to think better of it and stopped. He instead told the story with no imagery._

_"Now then," Mukuro said, "sixteen years ago, a family within Terra was murdered. Whom the murderer was and where he was from was unknown, but Vongola promised Shimon that they would find the culprit and expel him from Cielo, as well as Arcobaleno for good measure."_

_Tsuna blinked. "But… the murderer… wasn't that you, Mukuro?"_

_Mukuro regarded him and for a moment Tsuna was worried that the older man might hit him. Instead, Mukuro gave him a small, sad smile, one that confused Tsuna even more._

_"… Whether or not the criminal was exiled – though Vongola claimed that he was – remained a mystery. Since there were no more disturbances, Cielo was forgiven and peace continued, at least until murder struck again. This time, the victims were a family of Nebbia. The perpetrator was caught and revealed to be a citizen of Deserto. Of course, he was also forced in to exile._

_"But the damage was done. Both sides had suffered losses. Angry and perplexed, Cielo and Terra started a war… without the consent of Shimon and Vongola."_

_"_Without_ them? But then that means…"_

_"Yes, more powers were at work, forcing the two allied worlds to turn on each other. For a while, Arcobaleno remained neutral… until another event happened, this one with more devastating effects."_

_"What happened?"_

_"A member of the Vongola Royal Famiglia was killed."_

_Tsuna gasped. The death of royalty was heavy, and if the citizens of Cielo believed that Terra was at fault…_

_"It could no longer be ignored. Vongola Giotto and his six Guardians joined the fight. Likewise, Cozart Shimon and his six Knights were roused in to action by Cielo's newfound fury. Arcobaleno, sympathizing with Cielo, took their side and also joined the fight. Shortly after, they were destroyed by Terra. Cielo, now even angrier than before, worked to eradicate all people of Terra. Terra threw up a shield to protect themselves from Cielo, which failed the first time but succeeded the second. That does not mean that there is an occasional slip, however. In an attempt to get even, a tragic event happened a few years ago that I'm sure you remember."_

_He looked at Tsuna, whose eyes grew moist with sorrow. "Mami," he whispered._

_"Yes. Mami Kozato was sent to Cielo in order to make peace, but instead she was killed by unforgiving Angelos, as a penitence for Cielo's Royal Famiglia," Mukuro paused and let Tsuna absorb the information. "Since then, Terra and Cielo have been separate in both ideals and emotions. Angelos and Humanos hate each other with a passion. There is no forgiveness between the two."_

_Tsuna's lower lip trembled. "But… but they used to be so happy…" he murmured. "Why did they have to… Mukuro, why did you do it? Why did you kill? Why? WHY?"_

_He was screaming now, not caring that the man in front of him was capable of murder. The faces of his grandfather and Giotto flashed through his mind. He wanted to cry. "How could you?" he sobbed._

_Mukuro's face grew hard. "Not everything is as it seems, little Ouji. That is the first thing I've been taught since I was young as an Angelo from Nebbia. What you believe to be the truth is the truth, but at the same time it is also a lie," he cupped Tsuna's face and looked at him directly in the eyes. "You must discover the truth little Ouji, about yourself and about the war."_

_Tsuna gazed up at him through a film of tears. "I don't understand."_

_"You are to be sent to Cielo soon, correct?" Mukuro smiled. "You can learn everything then."_

_"But I don't want to go!"_

_"Whether or not you want to go is different from whether or not you must go," Mukuro replied, a hint of sternness in his tone. "And you _must_, that is a given."_

_"But I… but I…"_

_"Do you remember what I told you about your heritage?" Mukuro quickly said. He was speaking rapidly now, as if he were running out of time. "Do you?"_

_There was a strange buzzing sound in Tsuna's ears and Mukuro began to flicker, as if he were on a badly tuned TV screen._

_"I do, but what – "_

_"If you wish to learn the truth, then I suggest you take the job," Mukuro leaned over and kissed Tsuna on the forehead, making his sputter with embarrassment. "Good-bye, little Ouji. I will see you again in another dream."_

_"Mukuro, wait! Wait!"_

* * *

><p>"WAIT!" Tsuna shot up. "Mukuro!" he yelled. He stared at the familiar wall across from his bed, faintly recalling that he had fallen asleep what seemed to be ages ago. "How long have I been asleep?" he glanced outside his windows and saw that it was probably late afternoon.<p>

He sighed and laid back down in to his pillows. "What, so it was a dream? Why do I always have such weird dreams?" he grumbled cutely. He rolled over then hissed when he felt something stab him in the hand. He opened his hand – when had he made it in to a fist? – to reveal a familiar blue shard.

_The shard of the sky…!_ he thought, his eyes wide. _So it wasn't a dream!_ He bit his lip and wondered what to do with it. Again he admired the bright deep blue color of a world he had never seen. _It's beautiful…_

He flipped the shard over like he did in the dream and examined the other side, which was an endless black speckled with tiny white dots that shone like diamonds. "What _are_ these?" he wondered. "The other side of Cielo?" examining the shard, he thought of an interesting little idea.

He roused himself from his comfortable bed and rummaged through his oak chest of drawers to find a thin leather cord that had once been a tie-on belt on his favorite stuffed animal. Taking a needle, he stabbed the shard of the sky and made a hole, large enough for the leather cord to slip through. "That should do it," he murmured, and immediately put it on. "If anyone finds out that I have this, I'll get in trouble…" he couldn't keep it in his room; the maids came to clean almost every day. He tucked it safely under his shirt and sighed. "That should be good enough, right?"

There was a sudden knock on his door and Tsuna gave a small jump of surprise.

"Tsuna? Can I come in?"

"Enma!" the young prince was genuinely happy to hear his brother's voice. "Sure!"

The apple wood door swung open and Enma slipped in. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine!" Tsuna answered a little too enthusiastically. "I just woke up. How long have I been out?"

"I'm guessing since you came back from our little… 'meeting'," Enma answered, his shoulders drooping from the mere thought. "I heard you screaming. Did you dream of 'Mukuro' that evil demon of Nebbia? Man, you haven't had that dream in ages."

"I-I…" Tsuna blinked and shook his head to clear it. "I had the weirdest dream again…"

"You _always_ have weird dreams," Enma gently teased. "Like yesterday where you dreamed of the ground was made out of cotton."

Tsuna blushed. "Very funny," he mumbled. He looked sideways at his brother. "Enma, are you… okay?"

"I'm fine," Enma smiled, but Tsuna could see the tiredness in his eyes. The Prince's back was hunched as if he were bearing too much on his shoulders. "Grandfather promised that nothing would happen to you. I trust him."

_No you don't_, Tsuna thought with a pang in his heart. Enma's smile was the smile of a mournful liar; bittersweet.

"Tsuna…" Enma said slowly, "you can still reject the job, you know?"

"Huh?"

"You can just reject it!" Enma flared up. Tsuna gave a little 'hii!' of surprise and scooted away. "You don't have to go if you don't want to! I'll go in your place! I'll… you won't…" Enma's tongue seemed to give way under his babbling.

Tsuna stared at the redhead, bewildered. He had never seen Enma lose control before; in front of him, Enma had always been so cool and collected. His amazing and talented older brother… now reduced to a raving mess. "Enma…"

"Tsuna," Enma bent down on his knees to look upwards at his younger brother's face, "I beg you, don't go…"

"…" Tsuna observed at Enma with a thoughtful frown, taking in his tormented face and miserable eyes. Then he quietly sighed and shook his head. "… I'm sorry Enma, but… I want to go."

Enma's eyes grew round like dinner plates. "… What?"

"I'm going."

They had a staring contest, Enma's eyes wild and panicky, Tsuna's eyes guilty but resolute. Then Enma gave a loud groan and slumped with his head in Tsuna's lap. "I know that look," he muttered, his voice muffled by Tsuna's thighs. "That's the same look that Mami had when she went to Cielo. You two are exactly alike at times."

"Really?" Tsuna said with a smile. He stroked his brother's hair, admiring the ruby red glints that reflected in the fading sunlight. "That's because she's my sister after all."

Enma sighed, his lips turning up in a small smile. "…Yeah."

* * *

><p>Standing in the middle of the Throne Room surrounded at all sides by people, Tsuna felt a cold bead of sweat work its way down from his temple to his chin. He was unused to having so many people stare at him at once. Normally people talked behind his back or ignored him, never gazed at him directly as they were today. So great was his discomfort that he did not hear a single word that the King said until the last sentence.<p>

"… I hereby establish you as the honorary Royal Famiglia Emissary of Terra," Shimon solemnly proclaimed, his red eyes glowing in the slightly dim lighting. Tsuna knelt before him, not flinching as he felt the Shimon's warm hand come to rest on his shoulder. "Good luck, Emissary Tsunayoshi Kozato."

"Yes Your Majesty," Tsuna replied. He stood and bowed towards both his grandfather and brother before taking his place on the silver throne.

"And now," Shimon announced, "we shall introduce the guide who will lead Tsunayoshi on his mission. He is a citizen of Cielo – " he paused as he heard several people hiss. " – but we will be courteous and welcome him with open arms. _Understood?_" his voice turned low and menacing at the last word. There was some noise of shuffling feet and grumbles, but nobody protested. Cozart gave a small, satisfied, but grim smile. He turned towards the great doors of the Throne Room and said in a booming voice, "Let him enter!"

Two guards, armed with a spear each, stepped forward and slowly pulled open the doors to reveal… no one. Tsuna wrinkled his brow in confusion and opened his mouth to ask a question when a voice suddenly reverberated through the room.

"Ciaossu."

* * *

><p>*In the Greek mythology (or maybe it's Roman), Pygmalion is a sculptor who was happy to be alone and working on his statues until he carved a woman statue so beautiful and realistic that he literally fell in love with his artwork. Because of his extreme longing, VenusAphrodite granted the statue life and named her Galatea. Overjoyed, Pygmalion married Galatea and raised a family with her. After he died, Galatea returned to being a statue and her soul traveled with him to the Underworld. Her stone form stands over his grave as an eternal guardian and they are together forever, in both body and spirit.

Yes, you all know who that is. You've all been waiting for it, don't lie.


	4. Things Begin to Move

BYAKURAN! UNI! YOU'RE BACK! AND YOU LOOK... the same. WTF?

Not that I'm complaining, but, Uni... how old are you? If you were Tsuna's age then wouldn't you be like... four now?

AND THE HAIRSTYLES OF THE REAL SIX FUNERAL WREATHES. WHAT IS UP WITH KIKYOU? But Bluebell is very, very cute :3

**cael05:** LOL, everyone is against the romance. There will be a little (no adventure story is complete with a side helping of love), both het and homo, but it won't be the main focus. At most, it'll be comic relief or heavily implied. And one-sides. Lots of one-sides. Wish I could find a steady update rate. Maybe after I get in college.

**Hazzy:** Glad you liked the fic I typed up for you. 2700/0027 is not my cup of tea, but I find it extremely adorable anyways. And there will be more history lessons and cliff hangers to come. BWAHAHAHAHA! And get an account! It's so hard to only talk to you during updates!

**Sam:** READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT. THEN WATCH THE ANIMEEEEEE! No seriously, do it. And I don't listen to much American music anymore; it's all Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. I'm working on making the imagery... not so wordy. Wish me luck! And same to you, GET AN ACCOUNT.

**PinkPeach:** This is rare, someone who does want romance! There will be shounen-ai, nothing too heavy. Maybe an accidental kiss here and there if I can wangle it without destroying the original plot line. Hmmmm...

I find it both amazing and surprising that some of my reviewers are those with no accounts. I LOVE YOU ALL WHO PUT IN A REVIEW ANYWAY!

* * *

><p>Tsuna whipped his head back and stared at the doorway, still unable to see who his guide was supposed to be. Cozart stood and nodded his head amiably.<p>

"Welcome, Reborn. It's been a long time."

"Ciaossu, Cozart," came back the voice. It was high and nasal, but spoke clean and fluent Italian. There were some shocked mutterings from the crowd, angry that the Cielo barbarian had not addressed their King formally. Cozart waved his hands to calm them and then clapped them together. He placed a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. Said boy was still looking around in vain for his supposed escort. Said boy also gave an enormous jump when the voice spoke from directly below him.

"I'm down here."

"HIII!" Tsuna shrieked, jumping a foot in to the air from his throne. "Wh-Who said that?"

"Me," came the voice again. Tsuna looked down and saw a… toddler?

No, it was a baby. A baby wearing a tiny suit and a fedora and… what was that weird looking animal perched on its head? Tsuna, stunned, said the first thing that came in to his head. Which happened to be:

"Erm… are you lost?"

There was a click and the young prince realized that he was staring in to the thin barrel of a gun. "Don't look down on me, idiot."

"HII!" Tsuna shrieked and flung himself so violently backwards that he almost upset the throne. Immediately the guards within the room surrounded the baby, pointing their spears at him in a threatening manner. The baby ignored them. The gun in his hand suddenly glowed and turned back in to that strange animal that he had had on his hat earlier.

"Hmph," he smirked. "So you're the good for nothing that I'm supposed to guide?"

"What?" Tsuna said indignantly. "I'm not good for nothing!"

"Shut up," the baby glared at him. "If I say that you're good for nothing, then you're good for nothing!"

"I – " Tsuna protested, but then Cozart held up his hand for silence. "Enough! Guards, stand down."

Reluctantly the guards obeyed. Cozart looked down at the baby and sighed. "You never change, Reborn."

"Hmph," Reborn smirked. "Neither do you. But that's to be expected."

Cozart gave a soft, exasperated sigh, and turned to Tsuna. "Tsunayoshi, this will be your guide and mentor during your trip to Cielo. His name is Reborn, a professional hitman."

"Hitman?" Tsuna repeated, confused. "Why do I need a hitman for a guide?"

"Don't argue with him," Reborn cut in, looking murderous. Tsuna gave a small shriek of fear and cowered in to a ball.

Enma gazed down at the baby with a level stare. Reborn returned the gaze upward and smirked. "You've grown. Good to see you again, Enma Kozato."

Enma gave him a nod and moved to pat Tsuna reassuringly on the back. "It'll be fine," he whispered. "I've met Reborn before. He's a strange person, but if you stay on his good side then you won't find a better bodyguard."

Tsuna gulped. "B-but… he's a baby."

"You're also a child," Reborn snorted. "Appearances are deceiving. I'm not as young as I seem."

Cozart watched the exchange before turning to Reborn. "Please take good care of my grandson."

"I'm not taking your grandson," Reborn replied coolly.

Tsuna blinked. "Huh? You're not taking me?"

"I'm taking _you_," Reborn said pointedly, "but I'm not taking his grandson."

Both Cozart and Enma visibly flinched. The nobles within the room started to mutter. The guards exchanged wary glances. Tsuna, oblivious, just frowned. "I don't get it…"

"It's fine. Now get moving," Reborn suddenly gave Tsuna a very painful kick in the small of his back. "Or I'll shoot you."

There were more shocked mutterings and Tsuna quickly scurried out to the hall. "It's fine," Reborn repeated, following his terrified charge. He glanced back at the red-headed royalties and smirked. Just as he walked out of the room, he called out to Tsuna, loudly and purposefully. "You'll understand soon enough."

Enma balled his hands in to fists. "Grandfather…"

"Shush, Enma," Cozart replied quietly. "There is nothing we can do. Reborn is necessary."

Enma bit his lip then stormed out of the room in terrible temper. Cozart sighed and waved his hand, dismissing all of the people from the Throne Room. There were more muttering and suspicious glances, but Cozart kept a poker face and refused to show his emotions. When he was the only one in the Throne Room, he sighed audibly and slumped back down on to the center throne. He tilted his up towards the ceiling and stared intensely, as if wanting to see in to Cielo above.

"He's my grandson as much as yours," he said to no one in particular. "I raised him, cared for him, and watched his grow," Cozart sighed again, eyes sad. "… And I'll love him, even if he comes to regard me as an enemy."

* * *

><p>"OW! Stop pushing me!" Tsuna yelped in Japanese for the twelfth time as Reborn delivered yet another merciless kick to his back. "I-I'm a prince, you know!"<p>

"Doesn't matter, an idiot prince is an idiot either way," Reborn said briskly. "Now hurry up. We're going to Hareta, and then traveling to Oozora from there."

"Hareta?" Tsuna wrinkled his nose in confusion. "Where's Hareta?"

"Don't you know _anything_?" Reborn said patronizingly. "Hareta is the Oozora name for what you call Sole."

"Oh!" Tsuna blinked. "Come to think of it, Scholar Byakuran taught me that a while ago but we never used it again afterwards…"

"This Byakuran guy must be too lenient on you," Reborn snorted. "How much do you know about Oozora?"

"I-I know the history and customs," Tsuna said cautiously. "And I know that the people of Sol – Hareta are known for their healing abilities."

"Hmm," Reborn gave Tsuna a piercing look. "Hey, tell me about the artificial sunlight that you have in Terra."

"Eh? Oh, well, the artificial sunlight comes from the barrier that protects Terra from Oozora. It apparently absorbs light from Hareta and reflects it to us as the artificial sunlight. During nighttime, the artificial sunlight is dimmed until it is dark enough for people to sleep in comfort… Right?" he questioned, looking at Reborn from the corner of his eye.

"How would I know? I don't live here," Reborn rolled his eyes, or at least it looked like he did. "Use your brain, Dame-Tsuna."

"Don't just decide on a degrading nickname!"

"Whatever. Hurry up, Dame-Tsuna. Before the artificial sunlight goes out."

"The saying is 'before the artificial sunlight _dims_'… HIII! Okay! I'm sorry!" Tsuna cowered from Reborn's evil glare. "S-So how are we getting to Hareta?"

"I'll be making a path," Reborn answered. "We'll travel by foot, but how long the journey will take will depend on how quick you move. I'll take all my energy to maintain the path, so you'll have to carry me."

"Ehh? Carry you? That's not fair… HII!" Tsuna jumped away as that weird animal on Reborn's hat suddenly turned in to a ten ton hammer which Reborn promptly slammed in to the ground where Tsuna was standing earlier. "Hey!"

"Making a path isn't as easy as it seems! Don't complain, I should be doing the complaining!" Reborn snapped. The animal changed back to normal and looked oddly exhausted. "Because of you, Leon is getting tired!"

"Leon…? Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask… What is that?"

"Don't point," Reborn slapped down Tsuna's hand, earning a squeak of pain. "Leon is a chameleon; a very rare animal. The majority of them lived on Arcobaleno before it was destroyed. Now Leon is the only one left," he gave the animal a fond pat on the head. "They're very intelligent, chameleons are. Once they see a shape, they'll never forget it and they'll be able to imitate it for the rest of their lives."

"Wow," Tsuna examined Leon interestedly. Working up a sliver of courage, he reached out and scratched the chameleon underneath the chin. Leon tilted his head and closed his bulbous yellow eyes in apparent enjoyment. _It's… It's kind of cute…_

"Hurry up, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn suddenly turned left, in to a smaller hallway that led to the castle's herb garden. "We're running out of time."

_Time?_ Tsuna wondered. Nevertheless, he obligingly picked up the pace and dashed after the baby. As he entered the herb garden, he noticed that the artificial sunlight was unusually bright. _That's odd…_

Reborn took out a small, clear sphere from somewhere within his suit and held it out. Tsuna peered within the depths and saw a...

"Is that... a pacifier?"

"Of course it's a pacifier. I'm a baby."

_... Why do I feel like that makes so much sense ,and yet..._

Reborn held up the pacifier with both hands and began to softly chant in a language that Tsuna had never heard before. _Ancient Japanese?_ As the smooth syllables rolled off of his tongue, the pacifier began to glow with a strong, yellow light. The light grew brighter and brighter until the sphere resembled a miniature Sole. Tsuna held a hand to his eyes to sheidl them from going blind. The light grew to be so bright that Tsuna had to completely shut his eyes and cover them with both hands. He stayed like that for a couple minutes before he heard Reborn's voice. "Open your eyes, Dame-Tsuna."

The prince obeyed and uncovered his face. He let out a strangled gasp.

A single, three-feet wide, glowing yellow path started from their feet and arched upwards, towards the distant shield covering Terra and, Tsuna imagined, all the way up to distant Cielo. Reborn hung the sphere around his neck like a necklace and wiped what seemed to be sweat of his brow. "From here on, you'll have to carry me," he said. "Move quickly, Dame-Tsuna. I don't know how long it will last."

Tsuna gulped. "O-okay..." he bent over to pick Reborn up when he suddenly remembered something. "Wait! All my luggage is upstairs in my room!"

"You won't need it," Reborn replied, hopping on to Tsuna's shoulder with disguised great effort. "Wearing clothing from Terra is suicidal anyways. It's too obvious. We'll buy new ones for you up in Oozora."

"In where?"

"Oozora, you fool. Unlike Terra, which names its whole self after the capital continent, 'Cielo' has a different name for the whole Empire. The capital region is called 'Sora'. The entire Empire is called 'Oozora'."

A memory flashed somewhere in the back of Tsuna's mind, back to the day of the Ceres Festival. _"Oh, if it isn't the missing Ouji of Oozora. Have you become a traitor, my little runaway?"_

Tsuna shivered, remembering Mukuro's voice that had whispered so tenderly and deviously into his ear. Reborn noticed the change in his face and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"No-Nothing," Tsuna fibbed. He shook his head and put the convict out of his mind. Taking a deep breath, he took a tentative step on to the shining path. It held and he took another cautious step. Then another. Then another. Then he finally broke out in to a jog and pattered his way up the footpath, willing himself not to look down at the soon-to-be faraway ground. Sweat ran down his face and he was feeling all the world like Dorothy, setting off on the yellow brick road with Toto on his shoulder.

"Who's Toto?"

"HII!" Tsuna shrieked and surprise and almost lost his balance. "Did you just read my mind?"

"All babies can do that."

"THAT'S A LIE!"

"Tch..."

"You're not denying it?"

Reborn changed the subject. "So who's Toto?"

Tsuna debated whether to answer or not and relented. "Toto is the pet dog of Dorothy, a girl who was kidnapped by Tempesta. She tried to find a way to get back to Terra, her homeland, and met fellow escaped prisoners of Terra. Each of the prisoners had something stolen from him; one was missing his brain, one was missing his heart, and there was a lion who had his courage stolen. Dorothy rescued their missing parts, killed the Arcangelo of Tempesta, and freed the kidnapped Shimon Octavo - "

"Was this supposed to be a true story?"

"No, but Shimon Octavo did get kidnapped a lot."

Reborn frowned; or at least Tsuna thought he did. "But the war has only been going on for fifteen years in Terra. Shimon Octavo has no part in it."

Tsuna shrugged. "It's just the usual war propaganda."

"Hmph," Reborn said and glance upwards. "Speed it up, Dame-Tsuna. The artificial sunlight is dimming."

And then, about an hour and a half later...

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, did I forget to tell you?"

"You never even mentioned it!" Tsuna groaned, running a hand through his spiky brown hair. "Not good. How do we get through?"

What Tsuna was talking about was the shield encasing Terra; the path led straight in to it. Tsuna eyed the near-translucent wall in front of him and gingerly tried to touch it. The instant his finger brushed the shield, he felt as if he was being burned. He hastily jerked his hand away and sucked lightly on his fingertip. "What now, Reborn?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Reborn replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "You'll have to break through."

* * *

><p>Down below in the Shimon Castle's herb garden, Enma stared at the remnant of what used to be Reborn's shining yellow path. It had faded slowly away and now was the color of dull gold.<p>

Enma swallowed. His hand tucked nervously on the brown rucksack strap on his shoulder. He had packed with care several days ago with clothing, provisions and other handy tools and had kept it close if a chance should arrive.

Such a chance would probably never grant itself to him again. He resolutely took a step onto the path, smiling with relief when it held.

"I wouldn't if I were you, my Prince," came an amused voice.

Ennma whirled around, guilt plastered on his faec. "W-Who's there?"

"Do not be afraid, my Prince," a guitar strum seemed to sound in the air.* Footsteps echoed from the entryway, coming closer. A pale hand reached out and pushed the door further open so that the redhead could get a better look. "It's only me."

Enma blinked. "Scholar Byakuran!"

The white-haired man grinned, eyes closed lightly with his smile. "I'd suggest desisting from joining Prince Tsunayoshi and the Arcobaleno Reborn. Having an extra Prince going along violates the initial agreement."

Red eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't care. I'll travel in secret if I have to. I'm _not _letting Tsuna do this on his own."

Byakuran shook his head and clicked his tongue sympathetically. "Even so, you are the future King of Terra, not to mention the official coronation is in a month..."

Enma scowled. "I'm going," he said stubbornly.

"Let me finish," Byakuran's eyes, the soft color of lavender, twinkled. "If you wait out this month and attend the coronation, you will become King of Terra and no one, _absolutely no one_, will be able to defy your authority. With me so far?" he questioned. Enma nodded. "So even if you do wish to, say, take a vacation up in Cielo, no one will be able to stop you."

Byakuran patiently waited as Enma stared at him before breaking in to a wide grin; an extremely rare sight. "You are a genius," Enma proclaimed. "An absolute genius."

Byakuran attempted to restrain himself from rolling his eyes with great difficulty. "I _am_ the Royal Scholar of Terra, Prince Enma. I'm _supposed _to be a genius."

Enma either missed or wisely ignored the sarcasm ($10 saying he missed). "I'll wait until after the coronation then," the smile dropped a little. "I just hope that he'll be okay until then."

"The young Prince has good intuition," Byakuran inwardly chuckled at the private joke. "He'll be fine."

"Thank you, Scholar Byakuran," Enma passed by him to unpack his bag. "When I become King, I'll make you my Royal Adviser."

Byakuran bowed. "I am honored, my Prince," he murmured dutifully. Enma waved a dismissive hand before disappearing down the hall.

As soon as Enma's footsteps faded away, Byakuran straightened up and smiled coldly, his eyes now calculating and dangerous. "It seems that everything is going as planned," he murmured in Japanese. "I wonder what you will do now," he turned to face the shining path, which faded faster as he watched. "Tsunayoshi... -kun."

He then glanced towards the west, where he knew the town lay. "And I wonder what you are doing now..." he smirked, "Rokudo Mukuro-kun."

* * *

><p>"Atchoo!"<p>

"Bless you, Mukuro-sama," a monotone voice said from the darkness.

"Thank you, Chikusa," Mukuro sniffled. He reclined back on the ruined couch and lazily shifted his feet, broken glass from the shattered window behind him crackling under his knee-high boots. "Such an annoying feeling... It seems like that crafty white fox is talking about me."

"How dare he make Mukuro-san sneeze!" another voice, higher pitched than the first voice but rougher. "I'll kill him!"

"That isn't necessary, Ken," Mukuro said. "Kufufu... it seems our plan will soon spring into action. Our contacts shall inform us soon, right? Lanchia."

There was a grunt of affirmation. From where it came was impossible to discern.

"But you should know best, Mukuro-chan?" a female voice purred from directly in front of him. There was a slight pressure on his leg as the Angelo Caduto felt someone lay her head against his knee. "After all, you _are_ the contacts that we are waiting for."

"Kuhaha! Very true, M.M.," Mukuro laughed. He glanced towards another direction in the darkness. "And while we're at it, what is your input, Birds?"

The voice of a sleazy, middle-aged man answered back. "My cute pets are keeping track of all our objectives but many of them have been disappearing lately," there was a questioning tone. "Perhaps we are being suspected?"

"Where are they disappearing the most?"

"Around Nuvolo."

A look of understanding spread across Mukuro's face. "Ahh, Nuvolo..." he murmured. "Well, exquisite creatures do tend to flock towards other exquisite creatures..."

"What exquisite creature-pyon?"

"Nothing of concern, Ken," Mukuro chuckled fondly. "Just an old childhood friend acquaintance..." he seemed to reminisce about the past for a moment before giving himself a rousing shake. "Now then," a small grin graced his handsome face, "shall I make my move?"

* * *

><p>"No way."<p>

"Dame-Tsuna."

"No way in HELL."

"Tsuna."

"There is no way in _hell_ that I'm letting you shoot me with... Leon!"

"Will you just shut up and hold still?"

Tsuna, caught between the shield and Reborn, was wondering if he could survive the 30,000 meter drop if he jumped. Probably not. "Don't you dare shoot me!"

Reborn sighed exasperatedly. "Look, if I shoot you then we can get out of here."

"HOW?"

"Just trust me."

"I just met you!"

Reborn sighed. "You really don't remember anything of Oozora don't you?"

"Huh?" Tsuna replied stupidly. Reborn suppressed his irritation the best he could and cocked the Leon-gun at him again. "Look, you either listen to me or you don't listen to me. If you listen, we'll both be on our merry way to Hareta. If you don't listen to me, we'll be stuck here forever or until I run out of energy and the path disappears. Would you rather die with a single wound on your body or have all the bones in your body broken? You have five seconds."

"H-Huh? Either way I'd die so I don't want to-"

"Four seconds."

"You're counting down? I haven't agreed to anything yet!"

"Three seconds."

"Reborn, stop that! I told you that I don't want to-"

"Two seconds."

"Will you listen to me?"

"One second..."

"Wait, Reborn, stop. Stop. _Stop!_"

"Time's up," Reborn snapped and pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>It's been almost... what, a month? This chapter was really hard to get off the ground because I didn't think about it as much as I should have. The next chapter will have Ryohei and Kyoko and a mystery guest, so get ready!<p>

I feel that I should explain a couple more things/terms before we go on, so please read on below.

**Reborn:** The mysterious hitman from _Sole/Hareta_. Though he appears young, he is the same age as when he first met Enma approximately ten years ago. The secret to his apparent eternal babyhood has yet to be revealed. Reborn seems to be exceptionally fond of Terra, loving their espresso and using the term 'Ciaossu'. His pet Leon is perhaps the last chameleon of Arcobaleno, but it seems that Leon, though male, can give birth...?

**Rokudo Mukuro:** An _Angelo Caduto_ - a Fallen Angel. Rumored to be ridiculously powerful and would have been the next Mist Guardian, or _Kiri no Shugotenshi_. The apparent starter of the war between Cielo and Terra. He seems to hate all three worlds: Cielo, Terra, and Mare. Why he hates Mare is unknown.

**Byakuran: **His full name is Byakuran Gesso. Where he comes from is unknown, however he he shown to be incredibly intelligent; there seems to be nothing that he does not know. He has a fascination with Cielo and a hidden interest in his charge, Prince Tsunayoshi Kozato. Seems to be acquainted with Rokudo Mukuro...

**Arcangelo:** Otherwise known as _Archangels._ They are the higher up Angelos and have a high social status; nobility, if you will. The _Guardians_ of Oozora are all Arcangelos. Apparently the only exception is the Rain Guardian, whom was indifferent to the idea of wealth and happy as long as he had music.

**Terra Knights:** Also known as the _Cavalieres di Terra_. A group of six who have devoted their lives to protected the Royal Famiglia. The positions are passed down generation to generation, and the recipients are chosen through their skills and wisdom. Adelheid is the youngest recorded Guardian in history. Like the Cielo Guardians, all of the Knights are from noble birth.

**Cielo Guardians:** Also known as the _Oozora no Shugotenshi_ (Oozora Guardian Angels). Like the Terra Knights, they are a group of six who protect the Emperor Giotto. Unlike the Terra Knights, the Guardians are chosen from how well they fit the role. Relation to the predecessors are unneeded but preferred. There are times when family members of a Guardian raise their child to fit the title of Guardian, but it can more or less backfire. The first generation Guardians were formed about a hundred years after Giotto and Cozart created the Humanos and Tenshi. The oldest is the Arashi no Shugotenshi; the youngest is, surprisingly, the Kumo no Shugotenshi.

**Merge of Land:** The seven continents that were once together broke apart a long time ago. Now they are joined back together to form Terra. No further information has been recorded.


	5. Journey to Hareta

So, uh... Gamma, how old are you for ten-year-younger Byakuran to be taller than you? And how old are _you_, Byakuran-san? You seem like a high school student, so maybe... seventeen?

And of course, the winning question, Uni, how old are _you_ supposed to be?

(And while I'm ranting on ages, this is probably something I should have noticed earlier. Chrome, aren't you like... thirteen? Why are you in Tsuna's 8th grade class and not the 7th grade class? Mukuro, have you taken control of the Namimori headmaster? Because if you have, Hibari's going to be _pissed_.)

**Taira-keimei**: Thanks for the compliments~ Hope you enjoy the mysteries to come as well~

**Hazzy/Fire The Faith**: LOL, I've already replied, but I will put the story under Tsunayoshi S. And Reborn always gives off the tendency to know more than all other characters *sigh*. An irritating but endearing trait, I suppose. And Byakuran, lately, has turned... good. But that actually works out for me because I've already planned out Byakuran's goals and reasons. :) BE WARNED. I will warn you now that Byakuran's reason is, if I had to say, crack.

**forgottentears6**: Haha, I'd be glad for you to read this over and over again. In truth, this story does not have that many hits either ^^' I think it is because lots of readers consider AU stories (that do not contain smut) to be complete and utter crack. I mean, a different story plot is one thing, but a different universe altogether? It's something that turns readers off. And again, there is shounen-ai, but mostly for comic relief and added tension.

*sighs* It be nice to have more hits, but it's not like I'm doing this to be popular. Still...

* * *

><p>Pain erupted from between Tsuna's eyes and he felt himself fall unwillingly backwards onto the path. Small bits of his life flashed before his life, causing Tsuna to think only one single thought:<p>

_What an incredibly stupid way to die_.

Think about, getting shot by a _baby_, of all things? Screw the fact that the baby was apparently a hitman, he just got pawned by someone who wasn't even up to his knee.

Memories floated up to the surface of his mind. He was eleven years old when he first met Scholar Byakuran. He was eight years old and playing hide-and-seek with Enma and Mami. He was five years old and bawling his lungs out because Julie had not-so-accidentally pushed him down the stairs.

Then a memory that Tsuna was unfamiliar with slowly pushed its way in to his brain. He was a baby, judging from the fact that he was in a crib, and a hand was gently tickling him under the chin, making him gurgle with delight. Looking up, he saw the owner of the hand, a young man, perhaps in his late teens or early twenties, with a handsome face, deep brown eyes, and golden hair, the color of ripened wheat. _**"Hey there, my precious baby brother****,"**_ the man said softly. Tsuna, back in reality, groaned and rolled his head around. _Who is this person...?_

The man in Tsuna's memories turned his head and called to someone else in the room, someone Tsuna couldn't see. **_"Come over here and look. Isn't he cute?"_**

There was the soft shuffling of feet, and another face peered in to the crib. This one, a boy in his early teens, had a pretty, delicate face like a porcelain doll, with steel-blue eyes and raven-black hair. The face, however, seemed to be fixed in a permanent frown, with the corners of the dainty mouth pulled down as if weighted by stones. The boy's eyes, piercing and insightful, softened microscopically at the sight of baby Tsuna's big chocolate eyes. Reaching out with an elegant finger, he gently touched the infant's forehead. _**"Hello,"**_ he said softly. _**"Sawada Tsunayoshi."**_

_Sawada Tsunayoshi... who...?_

As he felt more and more strength drain away, Tsuna mustered every screaming muscle in his body to stare at the transparent wall behind him. It seemed to mock his death. _"Haha! You can't break me!"_

_I might have, if I tried..._ oddly the thought seemed to give him strength. _I could probably break through if I wanted..._

Suddenly he felt as if he were bursting at the seams. _There's probably a weak point along the wall. If I could find it..._

Power coursed through his veins. It was like the Big Bang theory that Byakuran had told him about. One minute, there seemed to be nothingness, and then _BOOOOOOM!_

"REBOOOOOORN!" he suddenly shouted at he leapt to his feet in a sudden surge of energy. "BREAK THE WALL WITH MY DYING WILL!"

Turning, he gave the wall a series of punches that made the entire shield shake. Reborn gave a satisfied smirk and settled to watch his charge smash the barrier with devastating blows.

"WHERE'S THE WEAK POINT?" Tsuna roared, hitting indiscriminately. "WHERE?"

A small part of him in the back of his mind was shouting, _"What the hell am I doing? Aren't I dead?"_ but Tsuna rampaged on.

A tiny crack within the shield appeared and Tsuna zoomed in on it. "HERE IT ISSSSSS!" he shouted and gave the crack a mighty kick. The shield held for a very brief moment before giving way and, as if it were shattered glass, broke open. "I DID ITTTTT!" Tsuna roared. "I DID... eh?"

A beam of light hit Tsuna in the face and he stumbled backwards. He fell upon the path and covered his eyes, screwed up in pain.

"Good job, Dame-Tsuna," came Reborn's voice from somewhere to his left. "Let your eyes adjust. You'll get used to it."

Tsuna obeyed. He removed his hand from his eyes and, after he felt that it wasn't so painful, cracked an eyelid open. "D-Did I do it?"

"You did," Reborn replied. "So what do you think of sunlight?"

"... Blinding," the Prince replied, sitting up. He felt a breze brush against his body and looked down, getting the shock of his life.

_W-Why am I NAKED?_

* * *

><p>Down below on Terra, in the town of Shimon, there were loud screams of fear as they felt the ground tremble beneath them. They panicked even more as the ray of sunlight suddenly shone through, revealing the hole in the shield.<p>

"The Angelos are attacking!" screamed a hysterical old woman. "They'll massacre us!"

A reassuring hand patted her shoulder and she turned to see the young Knight of Ghiacciao, Adelheid Suzuki. "Calm yourself, _nonna_," Adelheid said reassuringly. Her Shimon Ring of Glacier glowed. "I shall not allow them to do as they please."

She concentrated her energy onto the hole, trying to give it a closure of ice. As she focused, she was unaware of the figure approaching her from behind. So great was her concentration that she did not initially feel the tap on her shoulder.

"Adelheid. _Adelheid_."

Frustrated at being interrupted, she turned her head to snap at the newcomer. "Don't talk to me no - Enma!"

The Prince of Terra stared at her with his ruby eyes. "Don't. It's okay. Give it a couple minutes delay before you fix it," he ordered her. Around them, people had stopped shrieking and were staring at their future ruler with surprise. Enma hadn't even bothered to change in to commoner's clothing; he wore his usual regal outfit with elegance.

"A couple minutes?" Adelheid stared at him suspiciously. "What for?"

"This was planned," Enma tilted his head up, seeing the smallest trace of yellow far above them. "Because Tsuna is going to Cielo."

"_What?_" Adelheid retracted her power in shock. "Why is _he_ going?"

"It was Grandfather's order," Enma said, a bit more gently. He knew that Adelheid was fond of Tsuna. "He's going as our Emissary."

"_Emissary?"_ Adelheid looked like a frenzied mother. "But that's what happened a few years ago with Mami and she never came _back_ - " the female Knight fell silent as the aura around Enma suddenly became dangerous. "I-I'm sorry..."

"It's fine," Enma replied, keeping his temper under control. "I understand your worries, but I'm sure that Grandfather knows what he's doing," he turned. "I only came to find you because I'm sure you would have tried to stop it. You can go back to your date with Julie now."

Adelheid flushed. Enma chuckled softly, ignoring the whispers as he sojourned back to Terra Castle.

_Good luck, little brother..._

* * *

><p>"Oh my, has it started already?" Byakuran gave a hum of amusement. He was standing on one of the many balconies of the Castle. "How wonderful."<p>

He gazed at the sunlight, nostalgic. "It's been so long since I've seen the real thing~" he said cheerfully to no one in particular. "Ah~ I wonder how the little Princess up there is doing."

He closed his amethyst eyes, remembering a pretty face and sweet, girlish laughter. He smiled, a small, genuine smile.

_My beloved Princess..._

* * *

><p>"My, it's been a while since I've seen sunlight," Mukuro remarked to one of his companions, a man wearing a white tuque and glasses. The expression on his face seemed to be lifeless.<p>

"I as well, Mukuro-sama," the man replied. His voice was also deadpan.

"Well, let's not dawdle, Chikusa," he walked briskly along a backstreet in one of Shimon's few slums. "We have quite a bit of work to do."

_Let's see your abilities, little Ouji..._

* * *

><p>"Where the hell did my clothes go?" Tsuna shrieked, trying to cover himself up. He was clad only in a single pair of blue boxers. "Reborn! What was that bullet? Why am I alive?"<p>

"Are you disappointed?" Reborn smirked.

"Well, I'm glad to be alive, but not exposed!" Tsuna snapped back.

"It's actually more convenient this way. At least you won't be taken for a Humano of Terra."

_SO IT'S OKAY IF I'M TAKEN FOR A PERVERT OUT OF NOWHERE?_

Reborn jumped over to the hole in the shield and peered out. "Oh, good. Hareta is still up. There really is a time difference between Terra and Oozora."

"There's a time difference?" Tsuna asked, surprised. He had never heard about that before.

"Seems that Oozora's time moves slower than Terra's time," Reborn said. "This is good. I'll get more power this way."

"Power...?"

"Sit back, Dame-Tsuna. I can take it from here," Reborn took the sphere, still glowing faintly, from around his neck and held it up to the sunlight. The pacifier inside began to absorb the light greedily, shining brighter and brighter until Tsuna could see nothing but white.

Then the light faded and Tsuna blinked, shaking his head to clear his overloaded brain. "Man, that was amazing," he muttered, feeling his eyes tear up.

"You can rest for the rest of the journey," Reborn told him.

"Huh? I thought that I had to carry you."

"You unobservant fool. Look down."

Tsuna obliged and gasped. The path had disappeared and now they were sitting on a shining yellow disk, much thicker and stronger looking than the path. Reborn smirked. "Up, up, and away!" the baby chortled and the disk trembled oh-so-slightly before hurtling itself through the hole in to the wide open world of Cielo.

Tsuna stared up at the wide blue sky, his mouth open. The shield had also provided a 'sky' for the Humanos to look up to, in order to give a sense of normalcy. But now that Tsuna was looking at the genuine article, he realized what a cheap imitation the shield had given. Even Mukuro's illusion paled in comparison. Never before had the young Prince seen such a deep, vast blue the stretched endlessly over the horizon.

"Close your mouth, Dame-Tsuna, do you want to swallow a bug?" Reborn snickered. He leaned backwards a little and the disk they were sitting on shot upwards, towards Hareta. Tsuna yet again had to close his eyes against the light. "Oh, right. Since you're not used to the light yet, you should wear these," Reborn handed him a pair of sunglasses. Tsuna put them on and gave a small sigh of relief. At least he wasn't in danger of going blind. He looked down at the disk and pondered where he had seen it before. But it wasn't from one of those mysterious memories; he was sure he had seen it somewhere in Terra...

"AH!" he suddenly yelped. "Reborn! Did you get copyrights?"

"Copyrights for what?"

"The sun disk! Isn't this used by K*rby?"

"That was a star disk, not a sun disk. If you haven't noticed, this thing has no points."

"But you just can't use this!"

"It's okay. K*rby is Leon's ancestor."

"How does that make it - SINCE WHEN DID K*RBY HAVE DESCENDANTS?"

* * *

><p>Somewhere, miles and miles above where Tsuna and Reborn were, a man with messy blonde hair was snoozing underneath a sakura tree. A shadow loomed over him and the blonde cracked open an eye, revealing a sky blue aquamarine. A man with pinkish hair and a tattoo of crawling flames on his face was gazing down at him. The blonde yawned and sat up.<p>

"What is it?" he asked in a low, rich tenor.

"The kid is returning," the other man said. "With Sa... Kozato Tsunayoshi."

"... I see..." the man closed his eyes again and let the wind his companion always seemed to bring with him blow through his golden locks. He quietly chuckled and relaxed against the tree trunk.

"I look forward to seeing how much he has grown."

* * *

><p>I knew that I said that Ryohei, Kyoko, and a special guest would be appearing in this chapter, but the chapter started to get too monotone, so I decided to break this chapter in half. Sorry. *bows*<p>

**K*rby**: An old cartoon character on Terra TV. Despite that his origin seems to be Arcobaleno, he is much loved by all because of his cute pink roundness and his ability to change shapes. K*rby merchandise is widely distributed and beloved by children and teenage girls. There is a rumor that even Adelheid Suzuki has a life sized plushy in her room of this adorable creature...

**Chikusa**: One of Mukuro's many underlings. Chikusa is an Angelo Caduto of Pioggia. After he attempted to kill a certain family's branch in the Pioggia region, he was banished to Terra to die under the Nontrinisette radiation. He was saved by Mukuro, who ripped off his wings and gave him a new place to belong. Though he often speaks bluntly and in deadpan, he is loyal to Mukuro and Mukuro only. He considers the rest of Mukuro's group to be a nuisance.


	6. The Princess of Hareta

Hurrah! Fon found someone to team up with? And I'm REALLY curious to see who it is... And did anyone else find that Tsunomichi guy... surprisingly likable?

And Gamma,_ Gamma_, you don't need to be jealous, even if I believe that Byakuran is of closer age group to Uni as you and that 100Uni is a much cuter pairing. Uni loves only you, Gamma. You're okay.

(But Byakuran, I beg you... PLEASE GIVE US SOME 100UNI CRACK MOMENTS! 8D Seeing the two of them in that sort of intimate friendship with a jealous Gamma on the side makes me go all 'awwww!' And funnily enough, I usually hate shoujo stuff.)

**IchigoStrawberryXX:** It was just something that came to me on a whim XD. I love playing Kirby in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, so I thought, 'why not give him a little love in my fanfic?'. Glad that it went over well.

**Taira-keimei:** Not a problem, not a problem ^o^. I'm really liking writing this story, I just hope I can get a second wind on my 'Memories Never Fade' and 'Katekyo Hitman Reborn: Behind the Set' stories...

**cael05:** What matters is that you're back to reviewing now XD. And DAMN, there's a lot of POVs to go by. Hopefully nobody gets lost halfway through (including myself).

**forgottentears6:** FINALLY SOMEBODY APPRECIATES THE BLURBS AT THE BOTTOM. I'll probably take them all and put them in one big list for reference points. Depends on how long this story gets.

**Crazyanime:** Read the blurbs labeled **"Terra Kingdom" **and **"Cielo Empire (Oozora Empire)"** at the bottom of chapter one. The mythology part is really hard to tie in, since Greek gods live in the sky. And I don't know much about Japanese gods; monsters maybe, but not gods. LOL, some of the other Guardians have been mentioned already. Mostly one since he is my bias. And yes yes, no sex. And yaaaaaay~ more reviews!

**Kuro-chan: **Haha, and yet the fact remains that while I have indeed planned most of the plot, I have absolutely no idea how to execute it. Wish me luck~ ^_^'

**Fire The Faith:** Thank you kindly~ Everyone loves K*rby! And happy birthday~! I'll type you another fic~

* * *

><p>"IT'S HOT!"<p>

"Of course it's hot. Hareta is Oozora's number one heat source."

Tsuna groaned. He was lying flat on his back on the sun disk, sweating heavily. Now he was actually glad that he was half-naked. The closer they got to Hareta, the more intense the heat became.

Reborn glanced back at him. "You'll get used to it," he assured the Prince, "like you'll get used to the light. Is Terra climate controlled?"

"Ghiacciao regulates it," Tsuna mumbled, looking exhausted. Normally the shield above Terra absorbed the heat from Hareta and reflected it back down to Terra, but of course that was like an anthill under a magnifying glass. Ghiacciao, the coldest continent in Terra, used their ice abilities to cool Terra down. The highest temperature Tsuna had ever experienced was a mere 80 degrees. Remembering Ghiacciao reminded him of Adelheid, and a little pang went through his heart. She had probably heard of his mission and was frantic by now...

Reborn was circling the sun disk over a single area, like a bird of prey watching a mouse. "Hey, Dame-Tsuna. Do you know K*rby's special attack with his star disk?"

"The one where he slams it on to the ground to hit his enemies?"

"Yeah."

"... Oh no, you aren't thinking of..."

"Ready for a crash-landing?"

"Wa-wait Reborn,_ don't you dare_ - HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

* * *

><p>The pleasant sound of a koto resounded through the Princess's chamber. The room was small, with a thin, pink, and gauzy silk curtain hung directly in the middle, dividing the room in to two. Other than that, there was precious little else. On one side sat a pretty teenage girl who softly plucked at the koto with her slender fingers. On the other, hidden by the curtain, was a couch on which someone reclined. The silhouette was only a shadow, but the girl played on, knowing that she was being watched.<p>

Suddenly there came a loud _BOOM!_ from outside and the girl glanced up in surprise. "Oh? Did Onii-chan blow something up again?"

"Who knows?" came back a voice. "That brother of yours always seems to get in to mischief. Play on, Kyoko-chan."

Sasagawa Kyoko, the Princess's handmaiden, obeyed. "But Hime-sama, this sounded like a bigger explosion than usual. He might have destroyed something important this time."

"That's true," the voice admitted. For a short while only the koto could be heard before the voice spoke again. "Why don't we go out to check then? It's far too nice of a day to be indoors."

"What a wonderful idea!" Kyoko clapped her hands together eagerly and stood. "Which yukata would you like, Hime-sama?"

"Get me the pink one with yellow suns. That one is my favorite."

"Of course," Kyoko strode over to a wardrobe, made out of dark cherry wood, and opened it. She took out the gaudy pink one with yellow suns and took another, modestly muted in color, for herself. She walked back to the curtain. "Would you like me to help you dress, Hime-sama?"

"That's quite alright," the curtain briefly parted way for a hand which grabbed the pink yukata and then fluttered back closed. "I can dress myself. While you're at it, order the mikoshi-carriers to get ready. I don't feel like walking."

"Yes, Hime-sama."

* * *

><p>"I. CANNOT. <em>BELIEVE<em>. YOU," Tsuna sputtered, combing dust and ash out of his hair. "You could have killed us! Do you have any idea - OW!"

"Quiet, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn hissed, forcing the Prince's head down behind trashcans. "Do you want them to find us?"

"'Them'? Who's the - mph!" Tsuna was once more cut off as Reborn forced his mouth shut with his tiny hand. Sulky, he obediently stayed quiet and leaned his back against a wall made out of some unidentifiable substance. They were in what appeared to be an alley between two abandoned buildings. The main path, the one that actually crossed through the town, was right in front of them. Reborn was keeping wary watch. Irritated, Tsuna huffed and turned around to look at the building. The architecture wasn't so different from Terra. Tsuna wondered if the buildings had been abandoned for that very reason.

He examined the wall. The color was a dirty white, and the feel was like... rubber. Undeniably tough rubber, but rubber nonetheless.

"Hey, uh, Reborn?" he whispered, remembering to keep his voice low. "What are the buildings made of?"

"Clouds," Reborn answered without looking back.

"... What?"

"They're clouds from the Kumo region, reinforced with Lightning characteristics," Reborn shot back, still not even glancing Tsuna's way. "Almost all constructions are made out of either wood or clouds, since we don't have stone or such things here. Clouds can be hard or soft depending on type, and when combined with the Lightning attribute, they become ideal building materials. That's why Kumo is such a prosperous country, and the country which no one dares to pick a fight with," Reborn smirked. "Although that may not be the only reason why..."

Tsuna, as one could imagine, was totally lost in the explanation. "O-Okay..."

"Dame-Tsuna still has a lot to learn," Reborn innocently insulted. Angry, Tsuna was about to retort when there came an incredibly loud shout. One so loud that it blew Tsuna off his feet.

"MAKE WAY FOR THE PRINCESS TO THE EXTREEEEEEEEEME!"

Tsuna gave a great shriek of surprise, which was luckily covered up by the resounding echoes of the shout. Clamping his hands over his ears, he peeked over Reborn's head to see what the commotion was about.

A young man, not much older than Tsuna, was marching in front of a... mikoshi? Yes, a mikoshi. Tsuna remembered Byakuran had once mentioned mikoshis; they were used to carry important figures to and fro. And judging from the man's shout, it was a princess. The man had short, messy white hair, and bandages on his nose and hands. He wore a traditional kimono and - Tsuna had to blink at the sight - sported enormous, sparking yellow wings that flapped in time to his steps.

"MAKE WAY FOR THE PRINCESS!" the man was still screaming. "MAKE WAY FOR HIME-SAMA!"

"Jeez," incredibly, Tsuna still managed to hear another voice under the loud yells. "Onii-chan, you're disturbing everybody!"

Tsuna's gaze automatically traveled to the source of the voice and stopped short. Then his mouth fell open.

The young girl, approximately his own age, sitting on the mikoshi was beautiful. No, not just beautiful, she was drop-dead gorgeous in Tsuna's opinion. Her angelic face and smile left Tsuna at a loss for words. She also had yellow wings; smaller than her brother's but big enough to impress. Her petite figure, her small frame... she wasn't anything like the buxom women down in Terra. "So beautiful," he murmured, enchanted. "Hey Reborn, since I'm a prince can I marry her?"

"... Are you actually asking me that?" Reborn snorted. "I suppose this is youth in full idiocy, eh? But Sasagawa Ryohei hasn't changed at all. He still pampers his little sister too much."

"That's her older brother?" Tsuna looked dubiously at the two. It didn't register that Reborn just somehow conveniently knew who these people were... "They don't look alike at all."

"Neither do you and Enma."

The remark stung and Tsuna lapsed in to silence. He watched as the girl turned around and spoke to someone behind her. Tsuna hadn't even noticed the person because he had been captivated by the beauty of the princess.

"Hime-sama, are you enjoying the ride?"

_Eh?_ Tsuna blinked. The person behind her was the princess? Tsuna craned his neck, but the girl's companion's face was covered by the roof of the mikoshi. Whoever it was, the real princess was _tall_.

"Of course, Kyoko-chan," came back the reply. Tsuna was struck by how... masculine the voice sounded. "But my legs are cramping now. Why don't we walk from here?"

"Why not?" Kyoko smiled brightly and turned to tap one of the mikoshi-carriers on the shoulder. She whispered to him and the carrier called out to his other companions.

"Hime-sama wishes to walk! Everyone stop!"

The mikoshi was lowered and carefully placed on the ground. Sasagawa Kyoko gracefully dismounted and held a hand out for the princess to take. The princess ducked her head to clear the mikoshi's roof and stepped out in to full view. Tsuna stared, uncomprehending. Standing in front of him was a very tall, muscular looking man with two-colored hair and sunglasses, wearing a girl's pink kimono that was slightly too small for him.

"... Reborn?"

"That's a princess, right?"

"It would appear so."

"..."

"..."

"... Why is the princess a male crossdresser?"

"It's his hobby?"

_Then _Tsuna comprehended.

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?"

Luckily his screams were drowned out by the white-haired man's, Sasagawa Ryohei's, shouts of "MAKE WAY FOR THE PRINCESS!" Reborn slapped Tsuna hard in the face and hissed, "Keep it down, you fool!"

"B-B-B-B-" Tsuna stuttered. "The princess is a MAN!"

"I know. This is bad. It looks like they've already taken over."

"Wh-Who's taken over?"

"Shhh!"

"MAKE WAY!" Sasagawa Ryohei screamed. "MAKE WAY FOR PRINCESS LUSSURIA!"

* * *

><p>Byakuran bowed before Cozart Shimon with a little, foxy half-smile on his face. The King had called him in to the Throne Room only a few minutes earlier. What for, Byakuran had a very good idea.<p>

"Scholar Byakuran," Cozart said quietly. He was seated, not on the left throne as usual, but on the center throne. The whites of his eyes had turned red from lack of sleep, making his eyes look eerie and phenomenal. "Prince Enma has informed me that he would like to promote you to be his Royal Adviser. May I ask... why?"

Byakuran chuckled. His guesses of what this meeting was about were dead accurate. He lifted his head and spoke as politely as possible. "Perhaps it is because I stopped him from doing a rash decision yesterday, Your Highness."

"What rash decision do you speak of?" Cozart questioned, a slight wariness in his voice. Byakuran inwardly chuckled. Though immortal, the many years had slowly worn the King of Terra down. Cozart Shimon had lived for so very long. _Too_ long in Byakuran's opinion.

"I'm afraid I cannot say," he replied in a dutiful tone. "Prince Enma has asked me to hold my silence about the matter."

Of course, Enma had ordered nothing of the sort. But in the Scholar's opinion, a little white lie didn't hurt anybody; least of all himself.

Cozart's eyebrows drew together. "I see. I suppose that your loyalty is satisfactory," Cozart pressed the tips of his fingers against each other and thought for a moment. "Scholar Byakuran, I want to trust you. And I think you have the qualities to be the Royal Adviser."

"Your Majesty is too kind," Byakuran murmured. He had difficulty hiding the smirk on his face.

"However, there is one fatal flaw that you have," Cozart narrowed his eyes. "And that is you have too many secrets."

"Too many secrets, my King?" Byakuran widened his eyes and pretended to be confused.

"Yes," Cozart clarified. He tapped a finger against the armrest of the throne. The soft blows echoed mellifluously in the almost empty chamber. "I know almost nothing of you, Scholar Byakuran, except of your high intelligence. When you came here several years ago, you merely asked for refuge within my castle. Several days later you revealed your enormous knowledge to us and immediately the Council of Elders assigned you the position of the Royal Scholar. They did it without my consent; I was away when you arrived."

"I am aware," Byakuran replied. He gave the King a radiant smile. "But when you returned you were happy to have a replacement at last, since my predecessor passed away a few weeks before I appeared."

"Indeed," Cozart murmured. "It was convenient, wasn't it?"

There was an unspoken challenge within the King's tone. Byakuran, however, had always been good at bantering. "Indeed, but _so_ very unfortunate... I heard that she was a good woman."

"She was," Cozart sighed. "She was indeed..."

Cozart lapsed in to silence. The previous Scholar had been a woman, one personally picked by Cozart himself. She was gifted with extraordinary brain power and a great love of learning and music. How many happy days had Cozart spent with her, talking about composers and his past descendants? There hadn't been any romantic feelings between them; they were merely good friends. Besides, she had told him that she had an unrequited love whom lived far away from Terra. Cozart, whose true love had been his first wife, understood the painful longing.

"Your Majesty?"

Cozart started. Embarrassed that he had let his mind drift, he shooed Byakuran away. "That's enough. You may leave."

"I hear and obey," Byakuran bowed, a little curious to what Cozart had been thinking about. Just as he opened the door to the Throne Room, a little mischievous thought ran through his head. He smiled at the King; the innocent smile of a child who found stepping on ants interesting. "My King? May I asked you something?"

Cozart eyed him dubiously. "... You may."

"My King, have you ever wondered about the mysteries of the universe?"

"Pardon?"

Byakuran smiled and used the hand not holding the door-handle to trace little loopy shapes in the air. "The mysteries of the universe. The ideas of parallel worlds, other planets, the beginning of Creation... have any of these every intrigued your interest, Sire?"

Cozart shook his head slowly. "I can't say they have."

"Not even once, Sire?"

"Not even once."

"Oh? So you have never wondered..." Byakuran kept his voice slow and deliberate, "... why you are immortal?"

Cozart's head shot up, eyes wide. Byakuran smiled, knowing that he had hit the jackpot.

Cozart's voice was also deliberate, and very, very calm. "Isn't that just the way I am?"

"So it is, Sire. So it is."

Byakuran left the room, a triumphant smile on his face, leaving a very confused Cozart Shimon wondering about his life, his past, and his birth...

* * *

><p>Enma curled up on his bed in a fetal position. It had already been a full day since Tsuna had left. He wondered how his precious little brother was doing. Without Tsuna, he was feeling ridiculously lonely. Adelheid and Julie were scheduled to leave for their homelands in a couple more days. Then Enma would be alone, with no one for company. His room was filled to the brim with stuff to do; puzzles, books, games, an HD TV... but he had no one to share with.<p>

There was a knock on his door and a maid came in, carrying what looked to be a dirty piece of paper in her hands. "Prince, there is a letter for you from Palude," she said respectfully. Ah, Palude. That would explain the dirt. Enma nodded his thanks and took the letter. The maid curtsied and exited, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Enma reached for a letter opener - a pretty silver one from Metallo engraved with blossoms, each with a tiny diamond set in the center of each flower - and slit a neat cut in to the top of the envelope. Pulling the letter out, he recognized the messy cursive scrawls and random doodles on the side.

_Dear Enma,_

_Commander Daddy Fango told me that I should tell you to tell His Majestic Holiness Cozart Shimon that we will be coming for the holidays. Next week is 'Super K*rby Day'. Commander Daddy Fango told me that there is no such day, but that's a lie because everyday is 'Super K*rby Day'. That's a secret though so don't tell anybody._

_See you next week. Let's go buy lots of K*rby plushies and set them on fire to see if they'll burn. Then that'll prove that Lima beans are actually alien-infested pods!_

_Love,_

_Shitopi-chan_

Enma couldn't help but laugh at the content of the letter. "Looks like Shitopi-chan will be coming soon," he put the letter in his bedside drawer. His dark mood had considerably lightened. Shitt P. - or Shitopi-chan as she preferred to be called - was one of his very best friends, and the undeniably eccentric daughter of the current Knight of Palude, Fango P.

He decided to take a shower and wash the dirt of his hands. There was no more use moping around after all. Besides, in only 30 more days, he would be able to see Tsuna again!

Happy, he caught himself skipping towards the bathroom and quickly rectified his mistake. A future King of Terra should _not_ skip around like a little girl.

Oh, what the hell. Just this once couldn't hurt.

* * *

><p>Bemused, Chikusa watched Enma skip to his closet, pick out his nightwear, then skip to the bathroom. "Mukuro-sama, what is he doing?"<p>

"I suppose he's happy," Mukuro snickered, wishing that he had a video-camera. "We can begrudge him a little happiness, can't we?"

"Yes, Mukuro-sama," Chikusa sneezed and a leaf from the tree they were hiding in fell on to the top of his glasses. "How much longer much we stay out here, Mukuro-sama?"

"Just for a little longer, Chikusa," Mukuro was now watching the garden below. "Just until the gardener comes out for a midnight stroll..."

Later that night, a poor, innocent gardener was ambushed. One of his attackers slit his throat with a strange short sword and then disappeared with his or her companion. After they disappeared, the gardener stood up and walked on like nothing had ever happened. Only now a strange laugh came from his mouth.

"Kufufufufu..."

* * *

><p>"WHY is the princess a MAN?" Tsuna shrieked. The 'princess' and her procession had long passed on. Still in the alley, Tsuna and Reborn were planning what do to next. The only problem was that Tsuna still could not get over the fact that the 'princess' of Hareta was a man. Tsuna was so agitated that his sunglasses were in danger of falling off.<p>

"Shut _up_, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn pointed his Leon-gun at him. The baby also looked troubled. "This is bad. They made their move early."

"For the last time! Who's 'they'?"

"Oozora's special military corps," Reborn replied. "The Varia."

"The whats?" Tsuna blinked. "Special military corps... Are they the Guardians of Cie - Oozora?"

"_No_," Reborn said emphatically. "They're Oozora's fighting force. They're an independent assassination squad."

"EHHHH? What would Oozora need an assassination squad for?"

"To fight. What else?" Reborn snorted. "Oozora has more enemies than just Terra, you know."

"H-Huh?" Tsuna blinked. "Other enemies? What other..." he yawned before he could finish the sentence. Reborn glanced at him.

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna. How long has it been since we've left Terra?"

"H-Huh? About... four, five hours, right?"

"Hmmm..." Reborn thought. "Change of plans, Dame-Tsuna. We're going to Oozora. Now."

"WHAT? Get me some clothes first!"

"Don't argue," Reborn snapped. "I'll get you the clothes, but we need to hurry. If Varia is already in control of Hareta, then it's best to go back directly to Oozora and check out the situation there. I'll be using the sun disk again so you can catch up on your sleep. You'll need to adjust to the time difference here."

"There's a time difference?" Tsuna blinked.

"Of course. Didn't I tell you that already?" Reborn had already pulled out the sphere containing the pacifier. "Time in Oozora moves slower than time in Terra. Down there, it's probably already been a day."

"W-What?" Tsuna yelped. "Really?"

"Don't you remember that I told you I'm older than I look?" Reborn smirked. The pacifier began to once more absorb light. "Angelos tend to have a much longer lifespan than Humanos."

Tsuna gulped. "S-So... how old are you, Rebor - HIIIII! I won't ask! I won't ask!"

* * *

><p>Sasagawa Ryohei kneeled before Lussuria and Kyoko as they passed him by. "HAVE AN EXTREMELY GOOD AFTERNOON!" he shouted. They were back in the palace, with Ryohei, the princess's manservant, seeing them off from the front doors.<p>

Kyoko laughed. "Geez, Onii-chan! You're so loud!"

"Indeed," Lussuria laughed. "Say, would you like to join me for a cup of tea later?"

Ryohei grimaced before he could stop himself. He quickly tried to cover up by replying, "I'm extremely flattered! But I have to decline."

"Oh, really?" Lussuria's aura suddenly turned dangerous. His gaze slid to the oblivious Kyoko. "Are you really so busy?"

Ryohei turned pale and quickly said, "On the second thought... I think I'll join you!"

"Lovely!" the murderous aura disappeared and Lussuria smiled charmingly - or at least as charmingly as he could get - at Kyoko. "Why don't you come too, Kyoko-chan? Then we could have a tea party!"

"Sure!" Kyoko smiled a sunny smile. Lussuria put an arm around her shoulder and they happily chattered away like best friends. Only Ryohei, who bit his lip in frustration, had an aggravated expression. Only he saw the almost unnoticeable dullness in his sister's eyes, as if a veil had been pulled over them.

_Don't worry, Kyoko... Big brother will keep you safe!_

* * *

><p>This chapter turned out to be pretty long. I'm happy~ And I made over 20 reviews! :D First hurdle cleared! Now let's see if I can get 30...<p>

**Sasagawa Kyoko:** The beautiful handmaiden to 'Princess' Lussuria. She is a very beautiful, sweet, and thoughtful girl, but sometimes it seems as if she isn't all the way there. Lussuria treats her kindly and keeps her at his side at all times. In reality, she was the original princess of Hareta, but somehow Lussuria pulled her off the throne and made her his servant. It seems that a friend of Lussuria's from _Kiri_ bewitched Kyoko's mind...

**Sasagawa Ryohei:** The overly energetic manservant to 'Princess' Lussuria. He is a skilled boxer who won over fifty different competitions with his 'EXTREME!' motto. He is fiercely loyal to his sister, who is now a hostage under Lussuria. It seems that Lussuria also likes him very much...

**Lussuria:** The 'Princess' of Hareta. Though male, he dresses in flashy women or androgynous clothing and is a homosexual. He's a very motherly, caring type, but he is exceptionally brutal towards his subjects. He treats Kyoko like his little sister or daughter. Truthfully, he's very fond of Kyoko and doesn't want to hurt her, but his loyalty is only to his boss... and his interest in having a servile Ryohei.

**Shitt P. (Shitopi-chan): **One of Enma's childhood friends. Shitt P. is extremely, in a word, weird. Her mind always seems to wander to different subjects all at once and she voices them all, not caring what others think. She is rather selfish and loves herself the most, but she is fond of Enma, Adelheid, and Tsuna. Though she isn't so sure about Julie...

**Sole/Hareta: **Currently ruled by 'Princess' Lussuria. Sole/Hareta is the light source for all three worlds, though its loyalty is towards Oozora only. The region is well known for the heat and year-round summer, making it the ideal vacation spot for summer lovers. The _Angelos_ are famous for their spectacular healing abilities. Sole/Hareta is not built directly on the sun; it is built on altostratus clouds. The first Guardian of Sole/Hareta was a boxer-turned-priest, whom accidentally killed a man during a fight and retired to serve the Creator.


	7. Arrival in Sora

**Kuro-chan:** Thankee kindly~ ^_^. Hopefully the updates will keep coming.

**IchigoStrawberryXX:** YES, IT'S LUSSURIA. I thought that this would be the best way to introduce him. XD

**Kanojo wa Rinko:** Ah, hello. Are you new here? :D Welcome aboard. And I've read your story before. You should put it down as a Reborn/Kaitou Kid crossover. XD AND HELL, I WAS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. I described his eyes as lavender in a previous chapter. But then I always compare eyes to jewels (like how I compared Giotto's to an aquamarine), and the only jewel that I knew of with purple tones was an amethyst. And you're saying it's PINK? Ewww, I hate that color. And I actually think that Byakuran's hair looks better purple in the manga. :)

**Taira-keimei:** Bwahaha, don't you just love the roles I force them in? But you're right, Kyoko _is_ the princess; just not right now. And thanks. I'm trying to keep the mystery alive... it's a lot harder than it seems. ^^'

**forgottentears6:** Yep, poor Ryohei. A good way to write fanfiction is to keep all characters in character. :) Ehehehe, I've got a minor role for Hana since she's not that big in the manga either (except when she turns TYL), but I was thinking about changing it a bit... And LOL, not at all. I procrastinate alot. I try to write a chapter once a week to match with the chapter releases.

**Crazyanime:** Yes, Lussuria is a princess. Isn't he lovely (sarcasm)? And I'd be more worried about Ryohei than Kyoko.

**cael05:** IT'S THE FIRST TIME ANYONE HAS SAID THAT ABOUT ME, THANK YOOOOOU. But I was reading **cute-saki**'s fanfic _Paper Hearts _and I seriously envy her writing style. It's so... flowery but simple. And her vocabulary is awesome. And, well, that's how Luss-san is. In the fifteenth ending of the anime, _Famiglia_ (damn you PONYCANON for taking away the audio), he was flipping out over some pink party dress. And yeaaaaah, Tsuna's... going to be in the dark for a while.

**TotalAmuto:** That's... not going to happen for a while, considering how slow Tsuna is (it took him... what, 349 chapters to figure out that Reborn was not a normal baby? Seriously, Amano-sensei, _no one_ is that dense [yes, I know about Yamamoto. Be quiet]).

**Fire The Faith:** Byakuran knows everything~ He actually does because of his paradox ability. AND LUSSURIA, IN MY OPINION, IS TOTALLY AWESOME. 8D

**MistressYuu:** Hi hi~! And I'm pretty sure that Leon is male... or maybe it's an it. I'm just sticking with him being male because it's easier on me. And DON'T DIE! Was Lussuria that shocking for everybody?

**Sam:** Sam. SAM! How I've missed you! T_T Haha, have you still not actually read/watched Reborn yet? AND YES. I LOVE MAKING CLIFFHANGERS. MWAHAHAHAHA! 8D

**LapinNoirDeCalifornie:** Thank you very much~ Please stay until the end~

YES! 34 REVIEWS! WOOOHOOOO!

Now then~ I wonder how many old faces we'll meet this time?

**IMPORTANT**: I know _nothing_ of fashion whatsoever, let alone fashions from different countries. If anyone could inform me of current popular Japanese and Italian fashion trends, it would be much appreciated. Enough for a thank-you fanfic. PLEASE.

* * *

><p>As Tsuna and Reborn once more whizzed through the air, this time away from Hareta, Tsuna tugged on his new clothes self-consciously. He was unused to the plain white t-shirt, orange jacket, and jeans. The fashion style was noticeably different from Terra's. While Terra's clothing gave off a more mature and sleeker feel, Cielo's - no, Tsuna mentally corrected himself, it was Oozora now - clothing were more casual and colorful, and gave off a youthful aura. Now that he thought about it, Tsuna reflected, there was not much color in Terra compared to Oozora. Tsuna supposed it was because of the shield that gave off a much weaker light than Hareta. 'Brightness' was not found anywhere in Terra except perhaps in Palude or Selva.<p>

"Gotten over the shock yet, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn asked. He was currently munching on a pastry shaped like a fish. Apparently it was called 'taiyaki', a type of Japanese cake with sweet fillings. The one Reborn was eating had azuki bean paste inside. While buying clothes for Tsuna, Reborn had stopped by a bakery and bought a mixed dozen. He offered one to Tsuna who took it hesitantly. He examined the treat, wondering how it was made.

"Sort of," Tsuna answered, running his finger over the carved scales. "This kind of looks like animal bread..."

"We have animal bread too," Reborn replied. He wiped his mouth daintily on a paper napkin that had come with the taiyaki. "Frankly, ours are cuter looking."

Tsuna looked for words to form the question in his mind. "Reborn, do you guys have... y'know, crops? Like flour, sugar, and cotton?"

"Of course we do," Reborn looked sideways at the Prince. "Why wouldn't we?"

"No, I mean..." Tsuna stopped to find a way to make sense. "You live on _clouds_ up here... how can anything grow?"

Reborn stared at Tsuna and sighed. "Dame-Tsuna, we have everything up here that Terra has. We have crops, lakes, forests, you name it, we've got it. Only the species of what we have are different," Reborn frowned a little. "Terra and Oozora are not like fire and water, Dame-Tsuna. If anything, we are mirror-images of each other."

Tsuna, feeling ignorant and biased, hastily took a bite out of the taiyaki. The taste of sweet cream filled his mouth and he stared at the pastry in surprise. "It's tasty..."

"Of course. It's taiyaki," Reborn replied and reached for another.

* * *

><p>Down below in Terra, in the great front hall of Terra Castle, Enma was saying goodbye to his friends who were leaving for their homelands. The artificial sunlight shone dimly through the cut-glass windows.<p>

"Bye, Adelheid," Enma reached out to hug his friend. "Bye, Julie."

"See you around," Julie gave the Prince a clap on the back. Adelheid smoothed his hair for him. "We'll come back in a couple weeks, I think."

"Right," Enma nodded. He turned and bowed his head respectfully to a woman standing behind Adelheid, who looked almost like a carbon copy of her daughter. "It was a pleasure to have you here, Lady Nerina."

The woman curtsied. "And it was a pleasure to stay, Prince Enma," Nerina smiled. "Adel and I shall visit again soon," she gave her daughter a pat on the arm. "Will Young Prince Tsunayoshi be back by then?"

Enma's face changed subtly for the somber. "I'm not sure," he replied lightly. "But he'll be back soon."

Adelheid, recognizing the danger signals, quickly pulled her mother's arm. "Let's go home now, Mother," she said. "It won't do to keep the car waiting. Come on, Julie."

"Yep," Julie tipped his hat in Enma's direction and grinned. "Hope that brat comes back soon, for your sake more than anyone's. You look like a ghost!" he gave Enma a cheeky wink and scuttled out the door before the short-tempered Prince could hit him.

"Stupid Julie," the redhead muttered. Turning, he waved to a maid. "Could you bring my dinner to my room?" he asked her. "I want to eat in my room today."

The maid curtsied. "Of course, Prince Enma," she smiled brightly at him and walked away.

Enma sighed. Without Tsuna, everything just looked so... fake. The maid's smile had been fake and her cheerful tone had been fake. She was like a doll only following his orders. Enma supposed that he should have long grown used to other people's treatment of him. But even so...

"Prince? Is something that matter?" a hand gently tapped his shoulder. Enma turned to meet curious lavender eyes. "I've been calling you for a while now."

"Oh! Scholar Byakuran!" he exclaimed. "I'm so sorry. Is there something you need?"

"This is a bit embarrassing to ask of royalty..." Byakuran scratched his cheek sheepishly. "But could you help me clean my storeroom? I usually ask little Prince Tsunayoshi to help me, but since he isn't here anymore..."

Enma blinked. "Couldn't you ask one of the maids?"

"I don't like asking _them_," Byakuran replied dismissively. "They don't treat me like a Humano, they treat me like a piece of glass. I am _perfectly_ able to to manual labor myself, thank you. I'm not used to people pampering me."

Enma's eyes shone with slight admiration. "I see..." he replied. He had forgotten, but Byakuran was another person who would treat him normally, despite calling him 'Prince' all the time. "I'd be glad to help you."

"Wonderful!" Byakuran clapped his pale hands together. "It'll take a couple days, but I'm sure that we can get it cleaned out in at least a week. Shall we start today after dinner?"

"Sure," Enma smiled, glad that there was one person left who could treat him like an ordinary Humano.

* * *

><p>The Oozora Palace, in Oozora's capital city Sora, was impressive to look at no matter how many times Chiavarone Dino visited. The Palace looked to be carved out of blue glass that shone orange when Hareta slowly dimmed at sundown. In reality, the Palace was carved out of chunks of the sky itself, with roofs of clouds. The entire Palace looked to be made out of diamonds.<p>

The gardens were just as impressive. There were many types of gardens - Karesansui, Tsukiyama, Chaniwa - all of them lovely. Emperor Giotto's favorite garden was the Tsukiyama garden, where there was a small scaled model of the Terra Castle, along with many plants from Terra. It was also Oozora's primary source of coffee.

Dino's personal favorite garden was Chaniwa garden, the one where a bamboo bridge connected the mainland and a tiny island in the middle of a small lake, filled with gigantic koi fish, ones half Dino's size. The island itself had a pavilion, where he sat now. He sat there now, reclining comfortably on a bamboo bench with silk cushions, sipping hot black tea. His hair, a wonderful sunshine blond, was tied back in a short ponytail. He wore a tight, black t-shirt over his tanned chest and brown cargo pants covering his long legs. He watched as a pair of Beijing ducks swam together over the river, and marveled at the fact that Beijing ducks chose only one mate for their entire lives.

His long-time companion, right-hand man and patron, Romario, stood over him. Romario was a man around his forties, with short black hair with wisps of gray, as well as a mustache and glasses. He had changed Dino's diapers and served under the blonde's father as well. Now he was like Dino's father, as his real father had passed on a long time ago. However, he had learned a long time ago that Dino was... quite helpless without his family around. However his young charge was quite unaware...

"Romario," Dino suddenly said, "you can leave me now. I'm just going to be hanging around in the garden anyway."

Romario blanched. This was exactly what worried him; Dino always thought that he could survive on his own and blamed his misfortune on something other than himself. "B-Boss, I think that it's better if I stay here..."

"Geez, you're like a mother hen," Dino huffed. "I'll be alright by myself!"

Romario opened his mouth, shut it, then opened it again. "I don't think..."

Dino frowned. "Consider it an order then."

Romario squirmed uncomfortably. "Th-that's... yes sir," he muttered reluctantly. Unlucky as he was, Dino's orders were absolutely to be followed. Dino did not look up until he heard Romario's shoes tapping on the bridge, then the stone path leading back to the Palace. Then he hummed cheerfully and drank the rest of his tea.

"It's not fun being the boss if you have to have bodyguards everywhere," he said aloud, not realizing Romario's reason was completely different from what he thought. "Why didn't Dad have these many guards around?" hence his naivety.

He felt his right leg falling asleep and stretched it out. "Might as well take a walk," he murmured. He set down the teacup on a small table next to the bench and stood. "A walk around the Palace sounds good..." he skipped out of the pavilion and over the bridge.

He made it to the mainland before he tripped and landed in a patch of azaleas.

"Ahh! The flowers!" he yelped and hastily scrambled off. "Oh no... some of them are broken..." he glared at his feet. "I knew it! These sneakers always trip me up! I'm going to ask Romario to buy me a new pair," he stood up and carefully tried to straighten the flowers that had only bent. "Oh man, oh man, if Giotto-sama saw this he will _not_ be happy..." he muttered.

He managed to find some fallen sticks of wood and gently tied them to each flower to make a splint. "That should do it," he examined his handiwork. Hm? Were the knots falling apart already? No, that had to be his imagination.

Satisfied with his (sloppy, half-assed) job, he stood up and raised his arms high over his head to stretch. "Hmmm, come to think of it, Kyouya grows these in his garden too..." he smiled. "I wonder how he's doing...?"

Suddenly, he tensed. He felt something... coming towards him. At a high speed too. He glanced over his left shoulders and then his right; nothing there. Then where was this strange sensation coming from?

Far above him, he suddenly saw something yellow arcing through the blue. "Huh?" he said aloud in surprise. "A shooting star? I thought they only came out at night!" he stared at the yellow streak suspiciously. "Maybe I should go tell Giotto-sama about this…" he turned to head back to the Palace but immediately tripped. "Ahhh!"

Lying flat on his back, he noticed the shooting star suddenly coming closer. "Eh…? It's coming… this way?" he yelped in shock and attempted to scramble away. "Ahhh! My shirt's caught on something!" The star came closer and closer. Panicking, Dino's wings exploded from his back in a flurry of orange feathers, tinged with red. He tightly enclosed himself within his wings and braced for impact.

There was a loud _WHAM!_ to his left as something barely missed him. Loosening his wings a little, he peeked out from between them to see the most unexpected sight.

"REBORN?" Dino exclaimed. "What the - Where the hell have you been? Do you know how many people have been looking for you!"

"Oh, it's my clumsy ex-student," Reborn said nonchalantly, dusting off his fedora. "How have you been? Now help me carry this idiot to the Palace. He fainted on the way down."

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Enma, Enma, carry me!" little Tsuna demanded of his fourteen year old brother. The older Prince laughed and gently scolded the younger.<em>**

**_"You're too big to be carried around now!" he said. When Tsuna stuck out his lip and looked ready to cry, he relented. "Okay, just for a little while, until Mami finishes her lessons with Scholar Byakuran."_**

**_Tsuna's eyes lit up and he scrambled on to Enma's back. The redhead gave a little grunt. "Don't climb, I'm not a tree!"_**

**_Tsuna laughed and linked his arms around Enma's neck. Enma obligingly galloped around like a horse, making his little brother squeal in delight…_**

* * *

><p>Tsuna blearily opened his eyes, his vision blurred from fatigue. He realized that he was being carried by someone. "… Enma…?"<p>

"Hm?" a strangely familiar voice said. "Oi! Reborn! He's awake!"

"Huh…?" Tsuna jerked his head up and stared at a head of blonde hair in front of him. "You're not Enma!"

"Do I look like a redhead to you?" Dino frowned. "And no, I'm not the Prince of Terra. I'm Dino Chiavarone, Lord of the Cavallone Province. I heard from Reborn, you're the second Prince of Terra, Kozato Tsunayoshi, right?"

"It's Tsunayoshi Kozato… oh, right."

"Haha, you'll get used to the Eastern way of speaking soon. If you're uncomfortable with Japanese, I speak fluent Italian too."

"Really?" Tsuna asked, startled. "Angelos… I mean _Tenshi_ know Italian?"

"Almost all of Oozora's regions have Italian programs in schools," Dino felt Tsuna half falling off and shifted him in a more comfortable position. "Doesn't Terra have that too?"

Tsuna numbly shook his head. "O-Only His Majesty, Scholar Byakuran, and I know Japanese…"

"Hmm," Dino sighed. "Typical Terra. They don't seem to have interest in learning anything but their own language."

Tsuna flushed and felt deeply ashamed as a Humano. "I'm sorry…"

"It's not like it's your fault," Dino laughed. "I bet you're pretty talented to fluently learn Japanese at such a young age."

Tsuna felt himself swell with a tiny bit of pride. "Well, Scholar Byakuran did say I seem to have a natural affinity for the language," he said truthfully.

Dino chuckled. "I see. I see," he grinned and Tsuna felt the tension in his shoulders lessen slightly. This Tenshi was awfully friendly.

"U-Um, Dino-san, I can walk now. You can put me down…" Tsuna was surprised by Dino's answer.

"It's okay. It's not every day that I can carry a Prince of Terra. Let me savor this for a little while longer, okay?'

"Uh, um," Tsuna said, flustered. "O-okay."

"You two are slow," Reborn said from somewhere behind them. Tsuna craned his neck and saw the baby following the two of them.

"Reborn! So that's where you were!"

"Fully awake, Dame-Tsuna?"

"No thanks to you!" Tsuna huffed, angry. "Next time warn me before diving down like that!"

Dino laughed. "You two get along pretty well, don't you?"

"Not at all!" both Tsuna and Reborn replied. Dino snickered.

"So are you going to be Reborn's new student?"

"Student?"

"Yeah. Reborn used to be my home tutor. I learned a lot from him," Dino said cheerfully. "I used to think that I would die during half of his training, but now I kind of miss him."

_W-What type of training was it?_

"But… 'training'?"

"Huh? Didn't Reborn tell you? He's – " Dino was abruptly cut off as Reborn gave him a kick in the face.

"You talk too much, Dino," he muttered. Dino, horrified by his mistake, quickly shut his mouth.

"S-Sorry Reborn…"

Tsuna stared at the exchange between the two suspiciously. He craned his neck again to look down at Reborn. "Come to think of it, why are you standing behind us?"

"In case my stupid ex-student trips over his own feet. _Again_."

"Hey!" Dino said indignantly. "I haven't tripped yet!"

Of course he promptly tripped and nearly sent Tsuna flying through the air. "HIIII!"

"Sorry!" Dino yelped. "Geez, these shoes are terrible!"

_I don't think it's the shoes!_

* * *

><p>The beautiful sound of a <em>fue<em> flowed through the air as Tsuna, Reborn, and Dino approached the Palace. Dino, recognizing the sound, looked around until he spotted a man dressed in an outfit similar to a Japanese Emperor's sitting up in a Japanese maple. Dino immediately stopped running and managed to make an awkward bow without dropping the boy on his back. "Good afternoon, _Shugotenshi_ Asari Ugetsu," he said respectfully. Tsuna perked his ears, recognizing the name. Asari Ugestu was the immortal Guardian of _Ame._ He quickly climbed off of Dino's back and bowed as well.

The man waved at them quickly with one hand without breaking the melody coming from his flute. Dino sat on the ground and motioned for Reborn and Tsuna to do the same. "It's best for you to personally know all the _Shugotenshi_ as possible," he whispered. Tsuna nodded, seeing the wisdom in the older man's words. If he had the favor of the Guardians, then it would be easier to negotiate a peace treaty. At the same time, he admitted to himself, he wanted to hear the wonderful music that was so different from what he was used to. The notes simply seemed to float in the air, lingering before slowly being swept away by the wind.

As the song ended with a gentle trill, Dino and Tsuna enthusiastically applauded. Asari Ugestu smiled and jumped down from his perch on the tree. As he approached, Tsuna noticed the air suddenly became heavier with moisture. "Well, young Chiavarone, I see that you have brought two guests with you."

"Indeed, Asari-sama," Dino began, but was cut off as Ame Guardian laughed.

"You may simply call me Asari. Despite the way I dress, formalities bore me," he smiled. He had an incredibly refreshing aura around him that made Tsuna relax immediately. The humidity was surprisingly comfortable, and warm.

"Yes, Asari...-san," Dino said hesitantly. Asari half-laughed, half-sighed.

"Well, that will do," Asari turned his gaze on to the young Prince and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Aren't you..." he seemed to contemplate before smiling kindly. "I see. Welcome, Kozato Tsunayoshi. You've grown."

"Eh..." Tsuna blinked. "Y-Yes! Thank you for the welcome," he bowed again. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Asari Ugetsu-san."

Asari sighed. "Honestly, ever since I became the _Shugotenshi_, everyone has been treating me like an object of holy worship," he grumbled. Tsuna stifled a giggle. Asari sounded like Enma when he was grumpy. "At any rate, why don't we go back to the Palace together? Giotto has been expecting you anyway."

"He has?" Dino said, looking startled. "I didn't know that these two were coming!"

"It was a bit of a secret," Asari smiled broadly. He glanced at the baby at Tsuna's feet. "Hello, Reborn."

"Yo, Asari," Reborn replied, tipping his hat. "I wondered when you were going to notice me."

"Forgive me. You are still quite small."

"I'm always small."

Asari chuckled good-naturedly and gestured for the three two walk with him. "Come. Why not explain to me why you are here?" he smiled. Stealthily, without either of them noticing, he pulled a small, blue box out of his back pocket which lit up in blue flames. The box opened and a swallow, covered with the same flame, flew out behind the cover of Asari's back.

"Go, Kojirou," Asari murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "Tell G. and Giotto that we are coming."

The bird gave his master a tiny nudge of affection before streaking off through the shrubbery. Dino and Tsuna, who noticed nothing, walked on. Reborn, however, smirked and hid his mirth under the rim of his fedora. "Sneaky as always..."

* * *

><p>Somewhere inside the Palace, a handsome blonde with sky blue eyes was lounging on a couch, reading an Italian book. Even though a nearby door opened, revealing the one who had woken him from his morning nap, he didn't look up. The blue swallow flew in to the room and circled around the blonde.<p>

"What is it, G.?"

"Giotto, Asari sent a message. Looks like the kid and the Prince are here."

"... I see," the immortal Emperor closed the book and held out a hand for the swallow that swooped around his head. It alighted on his finger and chirped. "Good work, Kojirou."

"What do you want to do?" asked G. His eyes were cold. "I still don't trust _him_..."

"Reborn is necessary," Giotto said, sitting up. "Even you cannot deny that."

"I know I can't," snapped G. "But he just shows up after being missing for a whole year? That's too suspicious. On top of that, Xanxus has already - "

"I already know," Giotto said, a little more sharply. "But the only one who can save us now is Tsunayoshi."

G. opened his mouth to protest then closed it resignedly. "You're too soft on him, Giotto."

Giotto stood and walked over a large cut-glass window on his left. Looking out, he saw Asari and Dino talking together while a certain baby and brunette were arguing in the back. Giotto's throat tightened.

"I know," he said softly. "But it can't be helped either. After all, he is..."

* * *

><p><strong>Sunrises and Sunsets:<strong> Oozora also has sunrises and sunsets because of Hareta slowly moving up and down the column to give all regions light. However, Kumo and Sora spend the longest time in sunlight, while Kiri gets the least.

**Karesansui Garden:** Normal Japanese gardens have some sort of water source in them. Karesansui gardens do not have water in them; instead they have rock gardens designed in wavy shapes to represent water. Carefully chosen rocks and moss are used to represent mountains, islands, ponds, rivers, oceans, etc.

**Tsukiyama Garden:** Tsukiyama gardens copy landscapes from Japan or China, and often try to make the garden more spacious than it actually is. They have smaller versions of buildings, partially covered with plants to make them seem bigger. The typical bridges, stone lanterns, and water are also used.

**Chaniwa Garden:** Built for tea ceremonies. Chaniwa gardens have tea houses with a stone path and stone lanterns leading up to it. There are also _tsubaki_ - stone basins - in which guests cleanse themselves for the ceremonies.

**Dino Chiavarone:** The lovable, normally-klutzy-unless-his-family-is-around Lord of the Cavallone Province. He's good-natured and easy to get along with. Normally he's completely clumsy, but while around his family he's often an impressive person, nicknamed the Bucking Horse. He is loyal to Vongola Giotto because the Emperor took him under his wing after his father died. He used to be the personal home tutor for a certain _Kumo_ resident. His relationship with his student is a bit questionable... but on one side only. It seems that he's met Enma before...?

**Romario:** Dino's - while he hates admitting it - lifetime babysitter. He has taken care of the young Lord since he was a baby, and served for many years under Dino's father before that. Now he is considered by Dino to be his second father. Dino is so used to having him and others around that he becomes unknowingly clumsy if they leave his side. Romario constantly worries about the next generation of the Chiavarone Family because the Lord seems smitten with a certain bloodthirsty skylark...

**Cavallone Province:** One of the most beautiful and peaceful province in Sora. For some reason, the name is pronounced the same as Chiavarone, but the spelling is different. The biggest disaster the province has ever had is when Dino's student was unwillingly forced to visit. **(AN: I named the Province 'Cavallone' to make fun of the fact that _no one_ seems to know which is the right spelling of Dino's name. It seems that 'Chiavarone' is the correct spelling, but I'm not happy about it because if you look up 'horse' in Italian, it's 'cavallo'. WHY ISN'T THAT THE OFFICIAL?)**

**Fue:** A type of Japanese flute.

**Asari Ugetsu:** The _Ame no Shugotenshi_, and one of the best _samurai_ in all of Oozora. He is a simple soul and loves both music and swords. He is very gentle and often calm, but when the time calls for it, he can become a ruthless Guardian who will protect Oozora at all costs, like the gentle spring rain that will become an unexpected downpour. He gets along well with the Guardians is the _Arashi no Shugotenshi_, and he often takes care of the _Kaminari no Shugotenshi_.

**G.:** The _Arashi no Shugotenshi_, and the right-hand man of the Emperor. G. is short tempered and often jumps to unnecessary conclusions. He is extremely loyal to Giotto, who raised him. For some reason, all of the Guardians are immortal, like Giotto and Cozart, even though they were born normally and grew until they hit an unexpected stopping point. They stopped aging at different times, which is why the _Kaminari no Shugotenshi_ looks younger than the _Kumo no Shugotenshi_, although the Cloud Guardian is younger than the Lightning Guardian.

**Vongola Giotto:** The eternal emperor of Oozora and all of its citizens. Giotto's own past is shrouded in mystery, as it is unknown if he appeared before or after Cozart Shimon. He has a kind personality, often hidden beneath a hard exterior because he cannot afford to be soft. Unlike Cozart, who allows his descendants to take all authority, Giotto lets his descendants to have half of his authority, so they co-rule together. The _Kumo no Shugotenshi_ is head of a certain organization which operates outside of Giotto's control but is still affiliated under his name.


	8. Reflections of Longing

**Taira-keimei:** LOL. Overall, I prefer 'Uni' to 'Yuni'. And Cavallone to Chiavarone. Apparently, the new spelling for Dino's Famiglia includes 'Cabarrone'. WHUT.

**forgottentears6:** Indeed, I stopped there on purpose. Kufufufu. And yes, I also find Dino totally lovable. But I still think he's better with his men around then without. And I also agree, Hana is awesome. I wish that she'd have a bigger part in the manga... and I wish that Ryohei would meet her and realize that she's his lover in the future. XD

**TotalAmuto:** It can't be helped. He is No-Good Tsuna after all. And I adore making cliffhangers. It leaves me some open space to start writing the next chapter.

**Chocolate and caramel:** Ahhhh, our lovely Hibari-san... you'll see. It's not at that point quite yet~ And yes, poor Romario. He's eternally stuck to Dino's side as a nanny.

**ohayou:** Hahaha, thanks! I'm glad that you find it entertaining~ I seem to be better at AU stories than the in-plot stories because I don't freak out as much when new people/facts pop up. I'm a really bad stickler.

**Fire The Faith:** Love Dino. Love him so much. And G. G. seems to be the type who would not trust Reborn, so that's his character. _Pffft_. That part that you said about Byakuran and Enma... just sounds so dirty, LOL.

**calypso tchaka:** Wow, I got two long reviews from you. That makes me kinda happy~ And yes, the summary in comparison to the story is lacking. But I don't know what else to write... Maybe a short chapter summary? And your predictions... are not _quite_ right. Good guesses, but not quite right. The part about Tsuna may or may not be accurate though... But then again that's because Tsuna's predictable since he's the most rational character in the original story.

**CH0C0CANDYZ: **LOL, thanks. I hope it keeps sounding well-organized.

**hokkyokusei:** OMG, GIRL, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE MISSED YOU? Thank you kindly for the compliments~ And the descriptions are for... well, length, I suppose. I'm trying to make my language more descriptive and flowery, like **cute-saki**'s only I know that I can't achieve it in a million years T_T.

Hibari... gets hives from being happy? Is this why he always looks so (hotly) gloomy? And Dino is going is visit him? Dino knows where he lives (D18 spinning in mind)? Dino will try to... persuade him (D18 now spinning at full-tilt)?

And then there's that shadow in chapter 359 wearing a watch. It looks like a Boss watch. The fighter watches have white tops. This one had black. I'd love it if it were Hibari, but then again it might be Mukuro or something. Hell, Lanchia might even make a comeback.

* * *

><p>In his office, Giotto stood in front of his full-size ornate mirror. The frame was wrought with gold and studded with diamonds and topaz; an old gift from Cozart from many years ago. Now the glass had some irremovable stains and the frame was cracking in several places. Some of the jewels had long fallen off as well. He touched the glass sadly as he remembered when he was presented with the mirror.<p>

**_"Happy birthday!" Cozart chirped. "This is from me and my wife."_**

**_"My wife and I," Giotto automatically corrected before staring at the mirror with a dubious face. "It's... huge."_**

**_"It's a full-size, of course it's huge," Cozart gently nudged his best friend's side. "But that's not all. Try saying my name in to the mirror."_**

**_"Your name?"_**

**_"My name. But say it clearly"_**

**_Feeling rather silly, Giotto faced the mirror and slowly enunciated, "Cozart Shimon."_**

**_The mirror's surface misted over and turned a light, smoky grey. When the smoke cleared, Giotto found himself staring at Cozart's wife. "Wah!" they both shrieked at once. Cozart burst out laughing._**

**_"See? I told you it would work!" he exclaimed happily. Both Emperor and Queen glared at him._**

**_"Why don't you warn us what it would do next time!"_**

**_"Dear, you really should..." Cozart's wife frowned at him through the glass. She was a beautiful woman with eyes the same blue as Giotto's and dark, long, flowing hair like a waterfall. _**

**_"So what is this supposed to be?" Giotto reached out to touch the mirror. Imagine his surprise when his hands seemed to go straight through the glass! "Whoa!" he jerked his hand back. _**

**_Cozart's wife also looked startled. "What on earth...?" she murmured. She reached forward and felt her hand go through the mirror; it felt as if she had reached through a thin layer of water. _**

**_"Try walking all the way through," Cozart suggested. The Queen obeyed and took small, tentative steps, still sticking only her arm out. When half of her arm was in Sora, she gritted her teeth and dove straight through, right in to Giotto's arms._**

**_"Oh!" she murmured in surprise. Giotto helped her to her feet and gently dusted her off. Cozart walked forward and gave her a kiss on the head. "Was it that scary?" he asked with a smile._**

**_"Where in the four worlds did you get this anyway?" she asked with a frown. _**

**_Cozart paled. "No where suspicious!" he hastily comforted her. The look on his wife's face said that she clearly didn't believe him. Giotto wore a similar look. Then Cozart blushed. "Okay, so maybe I made a little deal with some Tritones in Mare..."_**

**_"This is from Mare?" Giotto asked in surprise. "I didn't know their technology was so advanced."_**

**_"They seem to be better in the paranormal engineering then the science technology," Cozart affirmed. "But isn't this great? Now we can visit each other any time we want! I don't have to walk through Arcobaleno to do it!"_**

**_Giotto smiled. "It's a wonderful gift. Thank you, Cozart. And you too, Azzurra."_**

**_Azzurra Shimon smiled, her eyes the same blue as her name. "Don't thank me. I had no idea about this," she glanced at the mirror. "But this is convenient... I can also see Yuzuki-san anytime I wish now," she added, referring to Giotto's wife. _**

**_Giotto smiled. Yuzuki would also be happy for this gift. She had always complained about not being able to see Azzurra when _**she_** wanted to; she always had to wait for Terra's Queen to visit instead. "She's in the tearoom now, I'm sure."**_

_**"Is that so?" Azzurra looked thoughtful before she skipped out. "I'm going to go find her," she said, and left the men alone.**_

_**"Thank you very much, Cozart," Giotto said again.**_

_**"It's not problem," Cozart replied, his eyes softening. He reached out and pulled Giotto in to a one-armed hug. Cozart was minimally taller than Giotto, but it didn't bother the blonde. **_

_**"Mm," Giotto buried his head in to the King's embrace, reveling in the earthy scent of Terra.**_

Giotto sighed. That time had been so long ago, but since then he and Cozart had always used the mirror. Even if Giotto couldn't go through the mirror, he could always see Cozart when he wanted to. After both of their wives died, they had comforted each other through the mirror.

He missed those times.

Giotto straightened the tie of his pinstripe suit and stared forlornly at the glass. Then he took a deep breath and said clearly, "Cozart Shimon."

Only his own face stared back at him. It had been staring at him for the last five years.*

* * *

><p>"I see..." Asari rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So you want to restore peace between Terra and Oozora. That should be easy enough."<p>

"R-Really?" Tsuna asked, not daring to believe it.

Dino nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Oozora has wanted peace with Terra for some time now."

"Eh?" Tsuna yelped. "Since when?"

"Since twelve years ago," Asari smiled. "Since we learned the truth of the war."

"T-The truth...?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you," the Rain Guardian said gently. "But we Tenshi have long ago forgiven Terra. It is Terra who will not forgive us. For the past twelve years, Terra has been fighting a one-sided war; one-sided because we do not wish to fight," Asari chuckled. "It seems that there are many war-lovers in Terra. Neither side has attacked for so long but Terra is still convinced that we are at war. I find it quite amusing, actually."

Tsuna gave a little sputter of embarrassment. "That's not... we... ugh," he found that he couldn't argue. Indeed, many Humanos still believed that Oozora was gearing up to attack them. Somehow the suspicions were undying, though nothing had actually happened for the past... what, ten years? "I apologize for our foolishness."

"It's not your fault, Tsunayoshi-kun," Asari said gently. "Someone else is pulling the strings behind the war."

"Eh?"

"Asari," Reborn interrupted before Tsuna could ask. "Why don't you take us to Giotto now? He will probably explain, right?"

Asari smiled innocently. "Certainly," he replied. "Giotto will be happy to see you."

* * *

><p>"Ha-CHOO!"<p>

"Dear me. Are you all right?"

Byakuran, holding several large carboard boxes, looked down at Enma who had fallen over at the great force of his sneeze. Enma sneezed again. "I'm fine," he managed to say. He looked around at the many books that he had just dropped. "I'm sorry. Were these important?"

"Well, some of them are worth several thousand euro..."

"Erk!" Enma quickly scooped up all the books and dusted them off. "Where did you get books that are worth several thousand euro?"

"I wrote some of them," Byakuran smiled. "Information is valuable. Especially the information _I_ know."

"... So have you actually appraised these?"

"Nope. I'm just messing around with you."

Enma set down the pile of books on a nearby table with a groan. Byakuran's storage room was, simply put, a complete mess. Bookshelves were forcefully stuffed full with old books and documents. Boxes, both cardboard and wooden, were stacked on the floor. Some of the stacks had fallen over and knocked things off of the shelves. A whole bookshelf had tipped over and was now leaning precariously on the wall, threatening to add to the ocean of papers. To top it off, the room was almost as big as the Throne Room. Enma sighed. "This may take more than a week..."

"We could always ask His Majesty to help," Byakuran chuckled, setting down the pile of boxes and opening the one on top. He pulled out some old tomes and began to sort them. "But I think the Council of Elders would not be happy."

"Those old fogies," muttered Enma rebelliously. "I still can't forgive them."

"Why?"

"They sent Tsuna to Cielo!" Enma exclaimed. "Just like my sister, he'll...!"

"I'm sure the young Prince will be fine," Byakuran said, still sorting between his books. "He has Reborn with him after all. You've met him before, haven't you?"

"... A long time ago," Enma said reluctantly. "But I didn't trust him then and I don't trust him now."

"That's smart," Byakuran smiled, a little shadow covering his face. "It's best not to trust someone you have not known for a long time."

"I suppose so," Enma bent down to the ground to pick up some fallen papers. Byakuran watched as Enma turned his back on him; trusting him completely.

"Hmm... it's easier without the 'Hyper Intuition' being here..."

"Eh? Did you say something?"

"No, not at all. Hand me that string, will you?"

* * *

><p>"Hey! It's Basil!"<p>

"Who?"

Dino pointed ahead. Just before the gates of the palace, a young boy with light brown hair and bright blue eyes bowed to Asari as he passed by. He was slender and exceptionally feminine looking. The dialect of his speech, Tsuna noted, sounded oddly ancient. "Asari-dono, I beseech thy attention."

"Certainly," Asari paused, holding up a hand to stop Tsuna, Dino, and Reborn from walking. "What is the trouble, Basilicum-bocchan?"

The boy gestured to the gardens on the opposite side from where Asari and the rest were walking from. "It appears that Alaude-dono and Daemon Spade-dono hath once again began to fight. Thy help would be greatly appreciated."

Asari sighed. "Those two again, I see. They jump on each other every time they have the chance," he turned to Tsuna. "I'm very sorry, Tsunayoshi-kun," he said regretfully. "If I allow those two to continue fighting, they shall destroy all the surrounding area by nightfall. If you wouldn't mind, would you please allow Basilicum-bocchan to escort you?"

"That's fine," Tsuna said, looking curiously at the boy. Said boy glanced back at him and smiled.

"I am humbled to make your acquaintance," he bowed as Asari swept away. "I am called Basilicum, but many others address me as 'Basil'. Please call me as thee sees fit."

"Uh... sure," Tsuna said. "My name is Kozato Tsunayoshi. I am the second Prince of the Terra Kingdom."

"Oh!" Basil looked up. "Are thee perhaps here to negotiate a peace treaty?"

Tsuna blinked in surprise. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"How wonderful!" Basil clapped his hands together. "Giotto-dono had long predicted this, but I was sure it would not occur for many more years! The 'Hyper Intuition' is very handy!"

"What's 'Hyper Intuition?'" Tsuna asked curiously. He felt as if he had heard of the term before. Maybe Scholar Byakuran had mentioned it during one of his lessons.

"Ahh, dost thou not know?" Basil smiled kindly. "Tis a trait of the Vongola Royal Family. Those with Hyper Intuition have great insight and sense. It is said that they have the ability to see through everything."

"Wow," Tsuna said. "So it's an inherited trait?"

"Indeed," Basil glanced sideways at Tsuna. "Just like the red eyes and hair of the Shimon Royal Famiglia."

Tsuna felt a stab from the casual comment. Basil had not meant to hurt his feelings, he knew, but the curiosity in his eyes was unmistakable. Tsuna simply gave a painful smile. Dino gently clapped Tsuna on the shoulder. "Maybe he's the same as you Basil. You are adopted in to the Royal Family after all."

Tsuna looked up in amazement. "Really? You're adopted?"

"Indeed," Basil drew himself up proudly. "After the Prince was murdered by Terra - oh, pardon me for saying such a thing - his father and mother adopted me as their child. Now I am considered to be a Prince..." he trailed off. "Only in name, of course," he sheepishly added.

"Yep," Dino said. "There's a high possibility that you will be one of the next Emperors, Basil."

Basil quickly shook his head. "I couldn't possibly!" he exclaimed. "Though I am part of the Family, I am not a blood-related. That would not do at all!"

Tsuna felt another stab in his heart from the unintentionally hurtful comment. Neither Basil or Dino seemed to notice. Reborn was smirking quite a bit though. Tsuna glared at him and Reborn snickered.

"Well, shall I take thee to Giotto-dono? I'm sure he will be very happy to see thee."

Tsuna gave a small nod. "R-Right," he muttered. Dino squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.

"Don't screw up, Dame-Tsuna."

"HIII! Shut up, Reborn!"

* * *

><p>Giotto stood, still staring in to the mirror, trying to see what was not there. Even a knock on the door did not break his concentration. "What is it?" he asked, not bothering to turn his head. His 'Hyper Intuition' told him who it was.<p>

G. opened the door and cleared his throat. "Basil has come with Kozato Tsunayoshi, Dino, and Reborn. He wants to know where you will see them."

Giotto gazed at the mirror for a bit longer before tearing his gaze away. "Why don't we take them to the indoor garden? He will certainly relax there."

"Yes sir," G. bowed and shut the door. Giotto turned back to the mirror, sighed quietly, and reached to pull a sheet over it.

"I wonder, Cozart Shimon," he murmured. "Does even friendship not last forever?"

He covered the mirror with an old bedroom sheet and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Unseen by him, the mirror shone faintly to reflect red eyes, before it melted away under a sheet of white.

* * *

><p>"WHOA!" Enma jerked his head back in surprise. Part of the white curtain he had been holding fluttered on to the top of his head like a wedding veil. Byakuran poked his white head - now gray from all the dust - around a bookshelf.<p>

"Something wrong, my Prince?" he asked, concerned.

Enma shook his head in surprise. "It's just... I thought I saw... man, where is this thing from?"

"Who knows?" Byakuran said. He took the white curtains and threw them open to reveal a great mirror wrought with a gold frame and studded with jewels, and a gigantic crack across the middle of the glass. "It's not mine. Perhaps it is His Majesty's."

"Why would Grandfather have a such a huge mirror stored away?" Enma wondered. He touched the glass and shook his head. "You know, it's the craziest thing. Just now I thought I saw someone looking at me from the other side."

Byakuran looked at him and then pressed a cool hand against the redhead's forehead. "Have you breathed in too much dust, my Prince?"

Enma laughed and slapped Byakuran's hand away. "Get real! I'm fine," he rubbed his eyes and winced when dust dug further in to his retina. "Maybe I'm just really sleepy."

"It _is_ late," Byakuran glanced at the watch on his hand. It was a very pretty watch, with a slender white band and diamonds marking the hours. The hands looked to be made out of white gold. "Go to sleep, my Prince. I'll tidy up here and return to my bedroom shortly."

"If you say so," Enma yawned. "Hey, that's a nice watch. Where did you buy it from?"

"Oh..." Byakuran smiled, eyes closed. "It was a gift. From someone very precious to me."

Enma shook his head and chuckled. "Even you have someone like that, huh?" he nudged Byakuran in the side. "Well, good night," he departed.

"Good night," Byakuran called. He heard the heavy oak door shut and silence resounded in the room. Byakuran looked down at the watch again, his lavender eyes softening oh-so-slightly.

"I wonder," he whispered. He moved towards the mirror and pressed his cheek against the glass. He gazed out of the corner of his eye at his reflection. "if I used this mirror, would I be able to see you?" he laughed softly, his breath ghosting over the mirror and leaving a misty mark that slowly faded away. "My precious, darling Princess..."

* * *

><p><strong>Azzurra Shimon:<strong> The beautiful, currently deceased first wife of Cozart Shimon. She was known to be like the earth itself; immovable, headstrong, and full of life. She died at a very old age that most Humanos would not be able to pull off, in order for Cozart to not be lonely. Cozart thought about remarrying after her death, but he never found someone who could make him happy like Azzurra. Her name in Italian means "sky blue", as a homage to his best friend Giotto.

**Vongola Riku Yuzuki:** The lovely Empress of Oozora who died shortly after Azzurra Shimon. She was a 'Yamato Nadeshiko', a very patient, kind, and honest woman who loved Giotto with all her heart. Though Tenshi have longer lifespans than Humano, she died around the same time as Terra's Queen because of trying to stay alive for Giotto. Despite their clashing personalities, she and Azzurra remained the best of friends until death. Her middle name 'Riku' (陸) means 'land' as a tribute to Cozart. Her first name 'Yuzuki' (優月) means 'gentleness, superiority' (優) and 'moon' (月).

***Time Difference:** The time difference in Terra and Mare to Oozora is somewhat relative. Approximately fifteen years in Terra is five years in Oozora. So the war in Oozora seems much shorter, but the grudge diminished faster.

**Sawada Basilicum:** More commonly known as Basil. He is a very sweet young boy who has been raised under the care of three separate people: Asari Ugestu, the _Kumo no Shugotenshi, _and a descendant of Emperor Giotto. He is a well trained fighter and is expected to be high up in the Imperial Court when he becomes of age. The way he talks is exceptionally old fashioned. It is most likely Asari's influence, or perhaps a certain blond man who likes to play jokes...

If none of you understood the last part, Giotto said Cozart's full name in to the mirror before covering it. Because of that, the mirror activated. Enma, who was looking at the mirror from Terra, saw Giotto before the sheet fell over it. Giotto missed Enma because he had turned around.


	9. Conditions for Peace

**Unknown Variable:** ... I'm guessing that 01 is Uni. Admittedly, I love 10001, but no this is not ByakuranxUni. I think you're in for a surprise~

**forgottentears6:** I'm hoping that Azzurra and Yuzuki will be the only OCs I have in this story, but if necessary I will add more. And yes, our beloved Basil, by suggestion of **Fire The Faith_._**

**Taira-keimei:** Hahaha, cabbage? Cabarrone, cabbage... yeah, I can see that. XD

**Fire The Faith:** Yep, Basil is soooo naive, but he's soooo cute. And yes. You know how it was dirty, don't play innocent. :D

HIBARI~! YOU'VE RETURNED TO ME~! WITH FON ON YOUR HEAD AND LYCHEE ON HIBIRD! LOL, the monkey riding the bird, that was so adorable. ^/^ Anyway, remember Reborn said that Hibari refused to enter the Arcobaleno Melee because of a severe case of hives? Fon probably used his herbal knowledge to give Hibari medicine for it and to repay him, Hibari agrees to fight for him. Well, that, and Fon is very persuasive. He probably told Hibari that he could fight all of his targeted herbivores in an all-out battle. It was probably something like this:

_Fon: If you become my representative, you can fight Rokudo Mukuro, Sawada Tsunayoshi, Kozato Enma, Xanxus of the Varia, the CEDEF, Byakuran of the Gesso, and - _

_Hibari: Shut up and give me that watch._

_Fon: (cheerfully) Are you sure?_

_Hibari: Hmph, I might as well repay you for the medicine._

... Or something like that. XD Hibari is soooooo tsundere (or yandere, but it depends on his mood).

* * *

><p>"Wooow!" Tsuna looked around at the indoor garden. "It's almost like the Selva Wing at home!"<p>

"Selva Wing?" Basil asked. He gestured towards a delicate table made out of wood. It was carved to twist around like a pretzel, and shaped like intertwining vines. On it was a tea set made out of fine white china. "Please sit."

Tsuna obliged and reach to pour himself a cup of black tea. Dino and Basil also seated themselves and waited for their turn. Reborn hopped up on to the table and smacked Tsuna's hand painfully. "Stop taking so long, Dame-Tsuna."

"Ow!" Tsuna cursed as some of the hot tea splashed on to his hand. "Reborn!"

While Basil and Dino both made a fuss over him, a man stepped in to the room. He was very tall with pinkish hair and a tattoo of flames crawling up his face. At first Tsuna and the rest did not even notice his presence until the man cleared this throat. His eyes, stern and grayish-green, glared down at Tsuna and he gave a little "Hii!" of fear and scooted away. Basil stood and bowed deeply towards him. "G.-dono," he said respectfully. "This man is Sawada Tsunayoshi, the second Prince of Terra. He hath come to make a treaty, with Giotto-dono."

G.? So this was G., the right-hand man to Emperor Giotto. Tsuna had heard of the fearsome _Arashi no Shugotenshi_, who was unmatched in both loyalty and fire power. Tsuna couldn't help but quiver in fear. The legends about the Storm Guardian were terrifying.

"A treaty, eh?" he passed his gaze over Basil and Dino and looked at Reborn, who was perched on the table. "I see. Giotto will be here shortly," he crossed over to their side and offered a hand to Tsuna. Hesitantly, Tsuna took it and G. shook his hand in friendly greeting.

_H-He doesn't seem to be a bad person…_ Tsuna thought. _Even though he's really gruff, he's kind…_

"Reborn," G. addressed the baby, "I never expected to see you again. Where have you been, this past year?"

"Huh?" Tsuna blinked. "Reborn's been gone for a whole year?"

"It's not important, G.," Reborn said with a smirk. "At least, it's not your business."

"What was that?" G. demanded intensely. His hand went towards – Tsuna noticed it for the first time – a small red box decorated with flames on a chain hanging off one of his belt loops. Glancing around, Tsuna realized that Basil and Dino both had boxes hanging around their hips too. Basil's was blue with the letters CEDEF emblazoned on it. Dino's was orange with an image of a rearing horse. He glanced down at Reborn and gave him a searching look. It didn't seem that Reborn had a box…

"You shouldn't pick fights needlessly, G.," came a gentle rebuke from somewhere behind him. G. turned around to face the voice.

"Giotto," he said.

Giotto? Tsuna tried to crane his neck around G.'s well-built physique to see. The Emperor himself was here?

G. stepped aside, to reveal the same man Tsuna had seen in his dream with Mukuro.

Just as Tsuna remembered, Giotto had spiky blonde hair with sky blue eyes and a handsome face. He did not wear a Japanese kimono as he had expected; instead he wore a handsome three piece suit with pinstripes. He was slimmer than G., but his air was much more impressive. However, he did not have his wings. Tsuna wondered what happened to them. Maybe the wings of Angelos shrunk with age?

"Welcome, Kozato Tsunayoshi," Giotto said softly. His voice was warm and smooth and made Tsuna feel truly welcomed to Terra for the first time. "It is wonderful to see you again."

_Again?_

Tsuna bowed. "Thank you very much, Giotto-sama," Tsuna replied. "I am also pleased to see you."

Giotto glanced at Dino and Basil. "Dino, Basil, would you leave us alone, please? That goes for you as well, G."

Dino and Basil immediately stood up. Reborn hopped on to Dino's shoulder and made himself comfortable. G. made a protesting noise but Giotto shook his head and smiled gently. G. grumbled and escorted the other three away, leaving the Emperor and the Prince alone.

Giotto took the seat opposite from Tsuna and crossed his long legs. Reaching for the teapot, he poured himself a white china cup. "Well then, why don't we talk, Tsunayoshi-kun? You are here for a peace treaty, correct?"

"Y-Yes!" Tsuna said, now feeling butterflies in his stomach. Giotto's presence was impressive, to say the least.

"Very well. And the terms?"

"Terms?"

"Yes, terms," Giotto said kindly. "There are terms, I am assuming?"

"Umm…" Tsuna blanked out. In all truth, he did not remember discussing necessary terms. "T-That's…"

"Typical Cozart," Giotto sighed and put down his cup. "Sometimes he forgets the important details," the side of his mouth curled. "Or he always forgets to give a good reasoning to his excuses."

_Excuses?_

Before Tsuna could work out the meaning, Giotto reached over and refilled his cup. "O-Oh, thank you…"

"My pleasure," Giotto reclined in his seat. "Now then, as for the peace treaty, it is entirely possible…"

Tsuna perked his ears.

"… But only if you do something for me."

Tsuna slumped. He knew that it would come to this. He had for a foolish moment hoped that Giotto would simply sign some papers and he could go home to Terra, but it didn't seem to be that easy.

"Why would you like me to do?" he said finally. If he had Reborn's help, then maybe he could get it done quickly…

Giotto smiled. "Come with me," he said, standing up and sweeping away. Tsuna almost fell flat on his face from trying to follow.

* * *

><p>Enma yawned and pushed open the heavy wooden doors in to the storage room. Hearing the soft sound of shuffling papers, he called out, "Good morning, Scholar Byakuran."<p>

Byakuran poked his head from around a bookshelf and smiled sweetly. "Good morning, my Prince. Did you have a good sleep?"

"It was all right," Enma said, rubbing his eyes like a child. "So what should we do today?"

"I looked through the room last night and decided on a course of action," Byakuran said briskly, dusting his hands. "Today, we will sort out the things I wish to keep and the things to throw away. I've already got some trash bags hear that we can use. Just throw out anything that seems useless."

"Got it," Enma said tiredly and scooped up a couple papers at his feet. "I'll sort these out then…"

"I'm guessing you had a difficult night," Byakuran said sympathetically. His voice was dripping with honey, but Enma was too tired to notice.

"A little," Enma yawned. "I kept dreaming that Tsuna and Mami were being stabbed by Angelos."

Byakuran's smile subtly tightened. "Oh my, that must have been a nightmare."

"Quite," Enma smiled wanly. "But I can do nothing but leave it to Tsuna, I guess. I'm sure that he'll pull through."

"… Indeed," Byakuran smiled again, the shadows gone. "I'm sure that he'll be all right."

He turned away and his expression turned dark. _Just so long as the Emperor does not make him stay longer than necessary…_

* * *

><p>Tsuna couldn't stop turning his head as he and Giotto walked down the hallway. The entire hallway looked like shimmering blue glass, laced with white clouds for wall trimmings. Bright, sparkly pieces of something were stuck in the walls in many different, lovely patterns. There wasn't enough time to examine them closely, but Tsuna swore that they gave off some sort of heat.<p>

Several meters in front of them, a cut-glass door loomed. Or was it cut-sky? Giotto pushed the door open and led Tsuna outside on to a balcony made out of clouds. When he thought Giotto wasn't looking, the Prince bounced up and down on the floor to test its strength. He didn't expect to suddenly be catapulted six feet in to the air after only a little bounce. The clouds may have been Lightning reinforced, but they were very springy. Landing, surprisingly without pain, on his rear, he glanced at Giotto and REALLY hoped that he hadn't noticed.

"Come over here, Tsunayoshi-kun," Giotto beckoned to him. Tsuna obeyed and went to stand by his side. The Emperor pointed off in to the distance. Tsuna squinted and realized that there was a trail of black smoke coming from what looked to be a far-off mansion. "Do you see that?"

"Yes," Tsuna replied, trying to discern more detail. The mansion was enormous, even at this distance he could tell, and also built out of pieces of the sky. "What is it?"

"That is the Varia's headquarters," Giotto said heavily. "I assume you have heard of the Varia by now?"

Tsuna remembered what Reborn had said. "Yes… they are Oozora's elite assassin squad who act independently from the Vongola Royal Family, right?"

"Yes," Giotto scowled, his forehead wrinkling. "But they are also Oozora's biggest traitors. Around a year ago, after I proposed a reconciliation with Terra, they protested. Their leader, Xanxus, and his closest henchmen rebelled against me and began a hostile takeover… I'm sure you've seen the new 'princess' of Hareta?"

Tsuna swallowed. "Yeah," he muttered. "That was a shock."

"That was Lussuria," Giotto sighed. "Luckily he's the most harmless for now. He likes fooling around and going around on his own whims so he isn't a threat. There are some problems, however…"

Giotto bit his lip and glanced at Tsuna as if he wasn't sure whether or not to trust him. "Do you know of the Vongola Rings?"

Tsuna nodded his head vigorously.

Giotto sighed again. "The Varia stole them."

"WHAT?" Tsuna yelped, then clapped his hands over his mouth. He hadn't meant to shout, but he was as surprised as hell. How could the Vongola Rings – the treasures of the Vongola – have been stolen? It just didn't add up.

"More specifically, they stole half of them," Giotto sat down on a nearby garden bench and gestured for Tsuna to sit as well. "The Vongola Rings are divided in half. _Literally_ in half. When the Varia first revolted, we divided the rings and kept half of them here, half of them somewhere else. From what I heard, my Guardians gave each ring to their respective relatives. It split them up, made them easier to hide, especially since when they are divided in half they cannot be tracked. Varia soon broke in to our castle afterwards and stole the half we kept here. They divided them up among themselves and when the top Varia officers went their separate ways to conquer each region, they took them with them. With me so far?"

Tsuna nodded. He couldn't help but notice that Giotto's speech was slowly getting less formal. He was agitated, much more than Tsuna had ever expected him to be.

"Soon enough they took over the regions and put my people in a state of panic. We're on the verge of a civil war. And Xanxus is getting a kick out of all this. I have to stop him, but my Guardians and I can't leave the castle. It's the last place for anyone to have shelter. We're needed here, to protect the incoming refugees."

Tsuna nodded again in understanding. If Giotto and the _Shugotenshi_ left, then the castle would be open to an attack from Xanxus, who was only several blocks away. It was a total stalemate.

"This is what I'm going to ask of you," Giotto turned towards Tsuna, his cerulean eyes blazing. "Please overthrow the Varia and return the Rings to their proper masters. This is my condition for a peace treaty with Terra."

Tsuna's mouth fell open. "W-What are you saying? I can't fight!"

"You don't need to fight," Giotto said, now oddly calm. "You have Reborn with you. He can help you. You don't need to fight."

"But how else will I overthrow the Varia?"

"You will gain allies," the blonde said confidently. "They can help you defeat them," he smiled reassuringly at Tsuna. "I know that I am asking you for a lot, but please, help me. I am asking you this as a man who loves his people, not as the Emperor."

"Aren't they the same thing?"

Giotto grinned, showing off dazzling white teeth. "You'd be surprised at how many people think otherwise."

* * *

><p>Back in the indoor garden...<p>

"Dino and I have to talk," Reborn said brusquely. "We're going this way."

"Huh?" Dino said.

"Wait a minute, kid, you can't just - " G. protested before Reborn cut him off.

"Let's go, Dino," he yanked savagely on Dino's ear and forced him to go left.

"OW! OW! OW!" Dino yelped. "You're gonna pull my ear off!"

"Like that will ever happen," Reborn said and let go of Dino's now throbbing ear when they were a fair distance away from the furious G. and the pacifying Basil. "I'm surprised at you, Dino. I thought that you would be happier to see your long-lost sworn little brother."

"I am happy," Dino insisted. Tears threatened to well up and not just from the pain. "I'm so glad that Tsuna survived. After he had been kidnapped all those years ago, I - " his voice broke and he sniffled. "He grew up well. He has a good heart."

"I guess," Reborn said. "Did you know how they labeled Tsuna's kidnapping in Terra?"

"No," Dino wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "What do they call it?"

"They said it was a pre-planned murder by the Terra Knights to avenge the death of Kozato Mami."

"WHAT?" Dino shouted. Across the garden, Basil and G. swiveled their heads towards him in confusion. Realizing his mistake, he waved back at them and made an 'all-clear' signal. Then he hissed at Reborn. "They said that he was _killed_? Why?"

"Propaganda," Reborn replied. "After the Princess Mami had died, Terra lost their motivation. The Council of Elders down there decided to take the news of Tsuna's kidnapping as murder to raise their spirits."

"That is _so_ stupid," Dino fumed. "He didn't die!"

"You thought he was dead for years."

"But he wasn't dead!" Dino raged. "He crash-landed in Terra is all!"

"Do you know who did it?"

Dino's shoulders slumped. "No," he muttered unhappily. "Rokudo Mukuro had already been exiled to Terra then, so..."

"We're out of suspects," Reborn said thoughtfully. He rubbed his chin with his tiny hand and glanced at Dino from the corner of his eye. "How's Hibari doing?"

Dino's cheeks turned pink. "He's fine," the Bucking Horse cleared this throat. "At least when I last heard from him, he was okay."

"Is there any possibility?"

"Possibility of what?" Dino frowned. "No way. It's true that Kyouya was kinda hostile towards Tsuna for a while but he's hostile towards everybody. Kyouya couldn't have done it."

"So you say," Reborn's eyes glinted. "Who knows how that guy's mind works."

Dino visibly flinched. There was one thing he could say for Hibari Kyouya; kidnapping was uncharacteristic but not below him.

* * *

><p>Down in Terra, the gardener yawned. His eyes, one blue one red, had tears of boredom in them. "This isn't any fun," he remarked aloud. "It would be nice if I could infiltrate the castle but this man's status is too low. The guards won't let him through."<p>

He stood up from the flowerbeds he had been tending and stretched. From the corner of his red eye, he noticed an old man strolling around the garden, sniffing at some of the flowers as he went. Mukuro recognized him; a man from the Council of Elders

The gardener's eyes glinted. Coyly shifting his way towards the old man, he held his hand behind his back. In it, the short sword materialized. The old man took no notice. He moved closer, closer...

_Checkmate_.

* * *

><p>"Okay," Tsuna said, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. "Okay, say that I go to each region and miraculously overthrow the Varia. How would the Tenshi of each region realize that I am on their side, not a new uprising threat?"<p>

"Good question," Giotto said approvingly. "And as an answer, take this."

From around his neck, the Emperor pulled out a slender silver chain with a ring. He held it out for Tsuna to see the blue stone embedded in the ring and the word 'Vongola' engraved on it.

"That can't be..."

"It is," Giotto took off the chain and gently took Tsuna's hand to place it there. "This is the Vongola Sky Ring. It is proof of the Royal Family. Take it."

"What?" Tsuna gasped, shoving the ring back at Giotto. "I can't take that! It's the Vongola treasure! And I thought it was stolen!"

"I keep the Sky Ring with me at all times, so I kept it safe."

"Oh," was all Tsuna could say. "But I'm still not taking it."

"Like hell you aren't," Giotto said sharply. Tsuna winced at his sudden change in tone. "Take the ring. Take the responsibility. You are a Prince, Tsunayoshi-kun. And as the Emissary of Terra, you are under obligation to follow all conditions of the opposite party. Take the ring."

"But - "

"Take it!"

Tsuna struggled with himself before saying "Ohh, all right," and reluctantly slung the chain around his neck. "You're very forceful, Giotto-sama."

"You can call me Ojii-chan," Giotto smiled amiably at Tsuna's expression. He laughed. "I'm a little older than Cozart, so I think it's appropriate."

"G-Giotto-ojiisama..."

"Perfect," Giotto's eyes shone softly. "I leave this task to you, Tsunayoshi-kun."

With that, Giotto stood and swept away and re-entered the Palace, leaving Tsuna alone on the balcony with his jumbled thoughts.

* * *

><p>Giotto heard a chuckle from his right. "You are as willful as ever, Primo."<p>

"It's fine for you to call me ojii-chan too, you know," Giotto grinned at the speaker, an old old man who walked with a staff. "You have gotten too formal, Timoteo. And have you noticed you are one of the few people who call me that?"

The Ninth Boss of Vongola chuckled. "Hoho, it would be strange for an old man like me to call a young man like you ojii-chan. Besides, you like Italian. Isn't it okay?"

"Yes, but I'm older than you."

"But your appearance is as youthful as my son," Timoteo chuckled. Giotto's eyes softened and he looked regretful.

"About Tsunayoshi-kun..."

"It is fine, Primo," Timoteo replied gently. "Even I understand that my son must be stopped," he sighed. "It is my fault. I should have never induced the 'Cradle Affair'."

"Timeteo..."

"Please stop him," the Ninth bowed. "And I will take responsibility for his actions," the old man hobbled off and Giotto watched him go with a sad look in his eye.

* * *

><p><strong>Vongola Timoteo:<strong> The Ninth Head of the Vongola Family who currently rules alongside Giotto. He is a kindly old man who enjoys gardening and taking long walks. His son, Xanxus is the head of the Varia. He is getting on in years but his fighting skill is as deadly as ever. His own Guardians, the Ninth Generation, are the same. It seems that the Ninth Generation are to retire soon and decide on successors...

**Vongola Sky Ring:** The proof of Royalty. The Sky Ring is said to grant the wearer great power, but only if they are chosen by the ring. The ring seems to have a will of its own. No further information has been recorded.

Ahhhh, and we finally approach the brunt of the plot. This whole thing is planned out in my head and I want to write it down quickly before my brain explodes. Review, please~


	10. Oozora's Royal Scholar, Le Petite Prince

**forgottentears6:** LOL, how funny would it be if Tsuna dropped out the first round? I don't know if ratings would go up or fall down.

**TotalAmuto:** Naturally, Tsuna is slow. It's a characteristic of his that never seems to change no matter what. HOW THE HELL AM I GONNA WRITE A FIGHT SCEEEEENE?

**Chocolate and caramel:** Glad you liked the little imaginary dialogue~ I do think that's what actually happened. And yes, Iemitsu and Nana are still alive. And I'm not that great a fan of Kyoko, so...

**Unknown Variable:** Uh, no no no. At least... maybe? I'm not sure~ (annoyingly dangling the spoiler carrot). Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. And yes, good job Giotto, you just secured your grandson. And... what is with you and ByakuranxSkyArcobaleno? What?

**Taira-keimei:** I do not read French and therefore I do not know. It's still annoying how they just never have only one translation of the names.

**Kanojo wa Rinko: **Oops. I forgot about that. I just meant to put down green and then find out his real eye color and correct it later. What _is_ his real eye color? And I don't think I can write 50k per month. That's difficult for me who is now approaching college deadlines. X(

**cael05:** Huh, I wonder what happened to it? It's okay though. Just keep reviewing~ And I'm doing my best with the canon details. And I hope the mystery stays interesting enough for the readers.

Oh man, oh man, oh man, Hibari's return has strengthened me enough to write two chapters this week. Oh man, oh man, oh man. HIBARIIIIII~!

* * *

><p><em>Oh, Dio<em>, Tsuna thought despairingly. _Do you hate me?_

It was the only explanation Tsuna could come up with. Frozen stiff on the balcony from shock, he stared at the Varia's mansion and wondered what sort of monsters lurked within. _If you hate me, could you send me a less fatal sign?_

"Dame-Tsuna," came the ever familiar (and increasingly annoying) voice, "why are you sitting there like that? Are you constipated?"

"NO!" Tsuna said indignantly. "I'm just - huh? Weren't you with Dino-san and the rest?"

"Dame-Tsuna, that was over an hour ago. We said everything we wanted to say. So I'm guessing that you heard about the 'condition' from Giotto?"

"Yes," Tsuna turned pale at the thought again. "Wait, did you know about it?"

"I had my suspicions when I saw Lussuria in Hareta," Reborn admitted. "It was only a suspicion though. I didn't know if it was accurate."

"Then what should we do?" Tsuna asked, feeling exhausted.

"I think that we should go consort with Fuuta."

"Fuuta?" Tsuna blinked. "Who is Fuuta?"

* * *

><p>Mukuro chuckled triumphantly from his perch on the roof of a Catholic church. His companion, a girl with red hair and wide blue eyes, glanced at him. "What is it, Mukuro-chan?"<p>

"Kufufu, it's nothing, M.M. I've gathered some interesting information is all," Mukuro said, laying his head down on the red clay shingles. "It surprises me, how far Humano corruption can go."

"Mukuro-chan is also very corrupted," M.M. said flirtatiously. Mukuro glanced at her and his lips curled in to a smirk.

"It can't be helped," he said, tilting his head up to look at the fake sky. "I've been reborn within this world six times after all. My mind is a little more, ah, _extreme_ than other people's."

"What should we do now, Mukuro-chan?"

"Wait," Mukuro yawned and closed his eyes to sleep. "All we can do for now is wait for that white fox to make his move..."

* * *

><p>"GYAHH! HUGE!" shrieked Enma's voice, followed by an extremely loud <em>thud<em>.

"Again?" Byakuran stuck his head around a bookshelf. "What did you drop this time?"

"I'm sorry," Enma mumbled from the floor. He was spread-eagle on the floor, with an enormous book sitting on top of him. "But can you get this thing off me?"

"Oh, I forgot I had that," Byakuran hummed with pleasure. "I acquired that with much difficulty," he managed to lift the book up enough to let Enma wiggle out from beneath.

"What is it?" Enma asked, dusting himself off. The book had no title or picture on the cover. There was nothing hinting to what contents it might hold within.

"It's a ranking book," Byakuran said cheerfully. "A very old edition. I sto - er, borrowed it from a faraway place," he flipped through the book. "Ooh, the marshmallow lover ranking!"

_... Was he about to say 'stole'?_ Enma wondered, sweat-dropping.

* * *

><p>"Fuuta is Oozora's Royal Scholar," Reborn explained as they once more walked through the hallways towards two huge double doors made of dark cherry wood. "He's one of the smartest people in the world because he knows everything that there is to know."<p>

"Wooow, he must be old," Tsuna remarked. "Oh, but Scholar Byakuran... Byakuran-sensei is very young. How old is this guy?"

"Young," Reborn confirmed. "Pretty young for the job, but he was the best for the job and so he because our Scholar at a very young age. I believe this Byakuran-sensei of yours was appointed at age twenty-one?"

"Yes, he is the youngest ever chosen for the job."

"Then I think you're in for a surprise."

"Eh?"

Reborn pushed the double doors open to reveal an enormous library. Tsuna looked around admiringly. The room was round with three floors, shaped like an egg, with curved shelves lining the walls. There were windows in between each shelf, and at the wider end of the egg, there was a big stained glass window. Tsuna studied the design. Vongola Giotto was standing in the center with his right hand up, showing the Sky Ring on his middle finger. On either side of him were three Guardian Angels each. G., Asari Ugetsu, and a green-haired man Tsuna didn't know were on Giotto's right, with a dark-haired man, a platinum blond-haired man, and a dark indigo-haired man on the left. He assumed that two of them were the Alaude and Daemon Spade he had heard about from Basil. Each of them was wearing their Vongola Ring. In this image, all of them had wings of seven colors respectively. Again, Tsuna realized, almost everyone he had met up here didn't have wings; Dino, Basil, Asari, G., and Giotto. None of them had wings. What had happened to them?

"Excuse me," came a soft, timid voice. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Tsuna jumped and whirled around to see... no one. _Eh? Dèjá vu..._

"Down here."

Tsuna looked down to see an extraordinarily adorable little boy who looked to be about nine. He had a gentle, girly face with pale brown hair and wore a simple outfit consisting of a pair of jeans and a black sweater a size too big for him. He also wore a long scarf striped with red and beige. Overall, he was a pretty cute kid, and Tsuna smiled at him because the kid felt like a nice, normal boy. "Hi, are you a library assistant here?"

"Nooo," the boy said, tilting his head curiously. "Who are you?"

"Ah, my name is Kozato Tsunayoshi," Tsuna introduced himself. He bent down to talk to the boy face to face. "It's very nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"Eh? Kozato Tsunayoshi...?" the boy stared at Tsuna then looked past him towards the stained glass window, at the image of Giotto. "Ahhh!" he suddenly gasped. "It's Tsuna-nii!"

"What?" the Prince blinked. Then he let out a squeak of surprise when the boy suddenly tackled him around the middle.

"Yay! Yay! Tsuna-nii's come home!" he cheered. Tsuna sputtered in surprise for a bit before Reborn's voice cut through the air.

"What are you doing, Fuuta?"

"WHAT? This guy is Fuuta?" Tsuna shrieked, jabbing a finger at the small boy.

"Ah, yes, we've never met formally, have we?" Fuuta gave him a winning smile. "My name is Fuuta de la Stella, but you can call me Fuuta. It's nice to meet you, Tsuna-nii!"

"But you're a kid! Why are you the scholar?"

"Hmm?" Fuuta blinked innocently. "That's because my 'rankings' are 100% accurate!"

"Rankings...?"

"I'll explain," Reborn said. "Fuuta has the ability to rank anything. From the most powerful people on earth to the most bought Valentines Day items, he can tell what ranking it has from just looking at it. That's why Fuuta is extremely valuable, and he knows almost everything about anything he sees."

"Ehehe, it's nothing special," Fuuta rubbed his head cutely and blushed. "I just ask the Ranking Planet for the statistics."

_'Ranking Planet'?_

Before Tsuna could ask what the heck a ranking planet was, Fuuta's scarf began to float by itself in the air, like a long, wriggly snake. Fuuta himself had a glazed over look as if he was staring at something that wasn't really there. Tsuna stepped back in surprise only to realize that he was also treading air. Books levitated next to him. "Tsuna-nii's sprinting ability is ranked 86,202 out of 86,202 people. Running ability is ranked 85,900 out of 86,202 people. Stamina is ranked 86,182 out of 86,202 people," he said in a dreamy voice as if he was a million miles away. "Overall ability is last place."

"EHHHH? WHY IS EVERYTHING FLOATING?"

_More like, why am I so pathetic?_

Fuuta's eyes refocused and suddenly Tsuna landed painfully on the floor. He winced as a couple of hardbacks dropped on to his head. "Sorry about that, Tsuna-nii," he said, suitably embarrassed. "Whenever I start to rank something, the things around me float because the energy I put out distorts the gravitational fields around me."

"Uh," Tsuna said, "okay."

Fuuta smiled winningly. "It's okay though, Tsuna-nii! You're heart is very big! You're rated number one for the least ambition and inability to turn down requests! You're a nice person so I don't have to be afraid of you!"

"Eh..." Tsuna got depression lines*. "Th-Thanks..."

"You're a loser!"

"Shut up, Reborn! I knew that already!"

* * *

><p>Just outside the library, a man stood with his legs crossed and leaning against the wall, arms folded. He was a handsome man, with icy-green blue eyes and platinum-blonde hair and alabaster skin. He wore a gray trench coat with matching trousers and black leather shoes. His expression was stern and cold.<p>

"Seems that the next successor hasn't lived up to his title," he muttered.

A voice spoke next to his ear. "Nufufufu, I'm sure that there's more to him than meets the eye, my dear Alaude."

"Don't call me that," the man named Alaude looked irritated. "You're annoying, Daemon Spade."

"Nufufu..." Daemon glanced towards the library doors. He was yet another handsome man with dark indigo hair and dark blue eyes. His hair was cut like a pineapple. "But I agree with you. The new successor is far too weak to be the new leader of the Vongola," he smirked. "I should make sure he never comes back again..."

"Don't," Alaude admonished him. "Giotto will never forgive you. At the very most, he'll throw you out of the Vongola altogether."

"Hm, true," Daemon said, a little disappointed, then a mischievous smile lit up his face. "Nufu~ Are you worried about me?"

"If you keep spewing inappropriate nonsense, I'm telling Elena."

"Urk!" Daemon immediately backed off. "You tattletale..."

"Whatever works," Alaude said, walking off. "Have fun eavesdropping."

"You were the one originally..." Daemon gave up. He sighed. "I wonder if I'm the pathetic one," he muttered, brushing his bangs from his forehead. "Why am I afraid? It's impossible to tattle to a dead woman..."

Huffy, he turned in to an indigo mist that slowly faded away, leaving behind an empty hallway ringing with silence.

* * *

><p>"So, Tsuna-nii, what did you want to see me for?" Fuuta asked curiously. He and Tsuna were now seated next to the stained glass window, on the window seat. Fuuta had managed to pull out a huge book out of nowhere and was now busily writing down the rankings for Tsuna.<p>

"I have no idea," Tsuna turned to Reborn. "What did we come here for?"

"Hmmm," Reborn said. He was now sitting on Tsuna's lap and making himself comfortable. "Fuuta, we're going to each of the regions to overthrow the Varia. Could you give us a ranking of what order to go in?"

"Oh, that's easy enough!" Fuuta said cheerfully. Tsuna yelped as things around him began to float, then he himself was lifted in to the air.

"Not again!" he yelled.

"Settle down, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn, who was still somehow in Tsuna's lap, said. "It'll be over soon."

Tsuna calmed himself down as Fuuta began to speak in that dreamy tone of his. "The best region order to travel to is... Arashi, Ame, Kaminari, Hareta, Kumo, Kiri."

Reborn wrote it down on a piece of scrap paper with Leon as his pencil. "Alright, got it."

_Tempesta, Pioggia, Fulmine, Sole, Nuvolo, then Nebbia, huh..._ Tsuna thought. _I hope I can make this journey..._

"Wait, there's more," Fuuta said. "That's the best order for each region, but the best order of recruiting allies is... Kumo, Ame, Arashi, Hareta, Kaminari, Kiri."

"Oh," Reborn tapped his chin with the Leon-pencil. "Hmmm, having that guy first would be our best choice... but what is Kumo's current danger ranking?"

"Danger ranking?" Tsuna asked, confused. Fuuta furrowed his eyebrow in concentration.

"Kumo is ranked the number one safest place to live," Fuuta finally said. "But it is also ranked the number one most dangerous place to visit."

_Ehhhhh? How does that make sense? Does everyone from Kumo hate foreigners or something?_

"That's actually a pretty close guess," Reborn said.

"STOP READING MY MIND!"

"Reborn ranks number four out of 86,202 people for best mind-reading..."

"THERE'S A RANKING FOR THAT?"

"Well, anyway, let's go with the first order," Reborn said briskly. He tucked the piece of paper somewhere inside his fedora and let Leon turn back in to his original form. "It's probably the easiest."

"Y-Yeah! Easy is good," Tsuna nodded vigorously.

Reborn stared at him.

"What is it?"

Reborn sighed. "Pathetic people just like it easy..."

"HOW MUCH MORE ARE YOU GOING TO TRAMPLE ON MY PRIDE?"

* * *

><p>"Giotto!"<p>

"G."

The Emperor took one look at his right-hand man and chuckled. "Okay, now what is it?"

"I _still_ don't trust that damn baby!" G. said hotly. "You know what Reborn did! He doesn't... he shouldn't..."

While G. struggled with his anger, Giotto sighed softly and placed a hand on his arm. "I know," Giotto said gently. "I know how you feel. And I know that Reborn has yet to repay for his wrongs. Which is why," he added, a small, grim smile on his face. "I gave Reborn his own condition for the peace treaty."

"You did?" G. said in surprise. "What was the condition?"

"'Gather the scattered Seven Sages and recreate the Arcobaleno Realm,'" Giotto answered. "That was my condition."

G. sucked in a breath. "That's... quite difficult."

"It shouldn't be," Giotto replied indifferently. "And besides, it's only right."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, isn't it appropriate," Giotto's eyes tone turned cold, his eyes like chips of ice, "for him to fix what he helped destroy?"

* * *

><p><strong>Fuuta de la Stella:<strong> Also known as 'Le Petite Prince Fuuta'. He is a soft-spoken, well-mannered boy who was originally an orphan before being taken in by Giotto. Because of his ability to accurately rank anything he sees, he is considered extremely valuable by all noble families. He has been kidnapped approximately ten times as a child until Giotto appointed him Royal Scholar to increase the security around him. He seems to love Tsuna like a brother even though they've never met before...

**Depression Lines:** Well, you know, those are the lines that a person has on their face/head to show that they're depressed and feel like curling up in a corner. Think **Depression Bullet**.

**Alaude:** The _Kumo no Shugotenshi_ and the youngest out of all the Guardians. He is stern, cold, but not completely unapproachable. He will ally himself with anyone who matches up with his ideals; namely Giotto. He doesn't seem to respect the Emperor, but he listens to him nonetheless. The reason he is so unfriendly is because he claims that he is 'not like them'. What he means by this statement is currently unknown. He is one of the people who was most upset over the destruction of Arcobaleno, but that reason is also unknown...

**Daemon Spade: **The _Kiri no Shugotenshi_ who has an obsessive dedication to the Vongola. He had a lover, Elena, who was killed in a struggle between the Vongola and the Estraneo Family. Since then, he always seems to flirt with whomever is nearby, but the merest mention of Elena makes him stop. Alaude, who apparently hates him with a passion, uses her name quite frequently. He is always thinking of what is best for the Vongola, but his motivations are not always pure...


	11. Sawada Iemitsu

**Fire The Faith:** Yes, Giotto is sly, but hasn't he always been? Have you _heard_ the First Generation Drama CD? Hilarious! And yes, Reborn is such a mysterious guy, isn't he?

**forgottentears6: **Well... I still think that no one is going to get out first round. And yes, the mystery with Reborn and Tsuna's pasts deepens...

**Unknown Variable:** Okay okay! Jeez, I didn't mean to offend you. And man, that is a looooong review. Let's see... (a) For the love of God, who supports G95? And what do you mean by profiles? (b) Yes, M.M. is weird and even though it's only four characters, it's a pain to type. (c) Don't you think Byakuran looks like a white fox? Especially when he smiles. So cute~ (d) ... Leave me and my Fuuta-obsession alone. I fell in love with him after I discovered we had the same birthday. And Byakuran took the book because... well, it's Byakuran. (e) The first order was in the order Tsuna met them in the manga. The second I was going by trustworthiness in battle. Ryohei is a little too... zealous and keeps throwing himself headfirst in to bad situations. At least Gokudera has the intellect to stop and analyze the situation. (f) ... We'll skip over Hibari for now... (g) No.1 is Giotto, No.2 is Mukuro, and No.3 is Daemon Spade. For the record, Tsuna is somewhere in the top ten. :3 (h) If I told you now, it would be no fun, now would it? (i) 0_0 I didn't know that, I take Spanish at school. (j) Yes yes, he knows. Who in Sora does not know? (k) ... That's surprisingly accurate, but that's for later so shhhhhh.

**Kanojo wa Rinko:** Ooooh, so that's G.'s eye color. I'll correct that when I feel less lazy. And Knuckle and Alaude's eyes don't match up with their flame type. Now is that Reborn Wikipedia or Reborn Wikia? I use both when I'm bored. And BWAHAHAHAHA! Let him! Let him! Do a crossover!

**Taira-keimei:** _CABAGERRONE?_ The translations just get weirder and weirder 0_o

**Lady Rurouni: **Thanks for the two reviews~ And I'm doing my best to keep the relationship between Tsuna and Reborn as canon as possible, because all other relationships are kinda OOC. I'm glad you liked the "Not as an Emperor" thing. It was something that I've thought about before and decided to insert. Hehehe.

**TotalAmuto:** YES, YES, THE CLIFFHANGERS. 8D Don't you just hate me?

**cael05:** Everyone loves Gokudera. To tell the truth, when he was still _really_ ugly looking I didn't like him, but after Amano-sensei's art style changed he became so cute. ^/^

Woo-hoo~ Over 60 reviews! Love you people. Mwuah! *kissy noises* Thank you to all who have stuck with me this far. *bows*

I reread the Vongola Ring Battle arc for some pointers and realized that Iemitsu is considered to be the second boss of the Vongola. In other words, when Giotto and the First Generation were around, it was Alaude who was the second boss, not G. This makes me weirdly happy because all Cloud Guardian sort of characters (like Kikyo and Adelheid) always seem to be second in command (although in Varia, it was the Rain Guardian, Squalo). Hibari, will this be true for you too?

Right, this chapter is really, _really_, REALLY short. But I want it to be meaningful so ignore the length and focus more on the content please?

* * *

><p>"So are we going to fly using the sun disk to Arashi?" Tsuna asked. They were still in the library, on the window seat. Fuuta was curled up at his side, fast asleep. It seemed that doing so many rankings made him tired.<p>

"Probably," Reborn replied. He was still perched on Tsuna's shoulder. "But if we gain a companion there, then we'll have to travel a different way. My sun disk only seats two for now."

"For now?" Tsuna asked, gently stroking Fuuta's head. The little boy mumbled in his sleep and rolled over.

"When I regain my powers, I'll probably be able to seat more," Reborn muttered, more to himself than Tsuna. Tsuna tilted his head, confused.

"Did you say something?"

"I said nothing. Let's go tuck Fuuta in. His room is on the library's third floor."

"EHHH? He lives in the library?"

* * *

><p>Sawada Iemitsu, a rugged man of 38 years, was currently fast asleep in bed, buried under his white silk covers. He was clad only in pink boxers with hearts, showing off a well-toned physique. His hair was short, scruffy, and blonde. Just as he was dreaming of his beloved wife, he felt someone shaking him awake. "Iemitsu. Iemitsu! Wake up!"<p>

"Mmm," he murmured, then grabbed whoever was shaking him and pulling him or her down on to the bed. "Nana~"

"Iemitsu, _WAKE UP!_" a solid _thwock!_ noise echoed through the room.

"YEOWCH!" Iemitsu bolted up and whined. "So mean, Nana~ Why did you hit me?"

"Iemitsu, I'm not your wife. I'm not even a woman," the voice said in deadpan. Iemitsu refocused his eyes and looked down to the person next to him.

"EHHHHHHHHHHH? PRIMO?" Iemitsu gave a loud, girly shriek in surprise. "Wh-What are you doing in my room?" he covered up his naked chest in a girlish manner. "Don't tell me you were going to do 'this and that' to me while I was asleep? You can't! What'll I tell Nana?"

"... That entire monologue was so stupid that I'm not going to say anything," Giotto said, sitting up in bed. His messy hair was even more disheveled now. He straightened his tie that had become loose in the struggle and sighed. "Iemitsu, I came to tell you, your son - "

"Hmmm? What has Basil done now?"

"No, no, not Basilicum. Your biological son. He's here."

"Huh?" Iemitsu yawned and scratched his belly. "What are you talking about? Tsuna's not here, he's in Terra."

"He's _here_, Iemitsu."

"Oh," Iemitsu rolled over. "I'll go say 'hi' to him when I see him... Zzzzz."

"... You do that," Giotto sighed and got off the bed. "But he's leaving later today so you might miss your chance," with that, he smartly exited the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

"Hmmm, my little boy is here, huh?" Iemitsu muttered in his sleep. "How nice, I wonder how much he's grown. I bet he looks just like Nana~"

He rolled over and went back to sleep. And then in 3... 2... 1...

Giotto was ten steps away from Iemitsu's bedroom when the doors were flung open with such great force that they nearly came off the hinges. He was grabbed roughly from behind and whirled around to face his great-great-great-grandson's frantic face.

"TSUNA'S HERE?"

"_Per l'amore di Dio!_" Giotto yelled, highly embarrassed. "_Put on some damn pants!_"

* * *

><p>Tsuna quietly shut the library door and whispered to Reborn, "Fuuta won't mind us leaving without saying goodbye, will he?"<p>

"I'm sure he's fine. Let's get moving, Dame-Tsuna."

"Okay," Tsuna tiptoed down the hallway, Reborn following closely behind. Tsuna was, very luckily, out of the library's earshot when he was suddenly tackled by an overenthusiastic middle-aged man.

"It's Tsuna! Yay! Yay! Tsuna's come home!"

_EHHHH? What's with this weird sense of deja vu..._

"Maan, I can't believe it! You look so much like your mother!" Iemitsu squealed, rubbing his unshaven chin against Tsuna's smooth cheeks. "So cute! You even have her body build!"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Tsuna screeched, attempting to wriggle out of the tall man's embrace. "Let me go! Heeelp!"

"Iemitsu, you're going to strangle him," Reborn said, looking highly amused.

"Ohh, if it isn't Reborn!" Iemitsu grinned at him while still keeping a death grip on Tsuna. "Don't you look well! How was Terra? Meet any good chicks?"

"Not really," Reborn answered. "But have you noticed? Dame-Tsuna is dying."

"Huh?" Iemitsu looked down at Tsuna, who was currently foaming at the mouth, and yelled, "Oh shoot!" he slapped Tsuna's face in an attempt to wake him up. "Come on, Tsuna! Don't die on me during our first meeting! Tsunaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"QUIET!" a voice suddenly yelled and snatched Tsuna away from Iemitsu's embrace.

"YEOWCH!" Iemitsu yelped as he was hit unmercifully on the head. "What was that for! Primo!"

Giotto, protectively holding a still dead-to-the-world Tsuna, glared at Iemitsu. "Do you really want to kill him that much," Giotto fumed in full-on lecture mode. "He's not like you! He's delicate!"

"Oh," Reborn said, trying to hold back a smile. "Giotto's 'family man' side came out. Like a mother..."

Giotto very gently slapped Tsuna's cheeks until the boy groggily tilted his head up. "Oh... Giotto-ojiisama..."

Giotto's blue eyes widened before chuckling softly. "You remembered."

"Mmmmrgh," Tsuna mumbled. "My head hurts..." and he fainted dead away.

"TSUNA!" Iemitsu leaped for his son but was stopped by Giotto punching him in the head.

"And you! Don't suddenly reveal that you're his father!" Giotto exploded. Iemitsu quickly backed off. Giotto was like a tigress protecting her young.

"U-Um, Primo?"

Giotto glared at Iemitsu before sighing softly. "G.," he said to the man behind him. "Take Tsunayoshi-kun and Reborn outside so that when he wakes up they can leave."

"Yes sir," G. obliged. He took Tsuna's limp body and draped him over his broad shoulder, then beckoned for Reborn to follow him. "Let's go, kid."

"Hmph," Reborn hopped up on to G.'s other shoulder. "Make it snappy."

"I'M NOT A TAXI!"

Giotto waited until Reborn and G.'s arguing faded away before facing Iemitsu. "Iemitsu," Giotto said softly, "Tsunayoshi-kun must not know that he is an Angelo, understood?"

"What!" exclaimed Iemitsu. "After I finally get to see my son after so many years, I'm not even allowed to call him my son? Why, Primo!"

Giotto shook his head pityingly. "Listen, Iemitsu. If we tell Tsunayoshi-kun that he is a member of Oozora's Royal Family, what do you think will happen? Will Tsunayoshi-kun be happy?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Iemitsu demanded. "All his life in Terra he has been isolated. He would be happy here! This is his true home!"

"I understand your feelings," Giotto said sharply. "But if we tell him that this is his true home, then that would be the same as saying 'Everything that you have known is a lie.'"

Iemitsu was brought up short. "T-That is..."

"I also want to tell Tsunayoshi-kun that he is my precious descendant whom I cherish," Giotto said, a bit more softly. "I also want to hug him and have him stay here with us for the rest of his life. But if he learns that he is Prince Sawada Tsunayoshi, next Boss of the Vongola Family, or - " he acknowledged the look on Iemitsu's face, " - a possible candidate for External Advisor, not Prince Kozato Tsunayoshi, younger brother of Kozato Enma, he would be crushed. He loves Cozart, and he loves Enma-kun. If he was to learn that neither of them were blood-related to him..."

Giotto let the prospect hang. Iemitsu gritted his teeth and looked down at his feet. "I suppose I'll never hear him call me 'father'," he muttered.

Giotto reached out and patted Iemitsu on the shoulder as both blondes allowed tears to flow.

* * *

><p>From the indoor garden, Asari, who had successfully calmed Alaude and Daemon Spade, was drinking tea with Basil when he felt a strange sensation and sighed quietly. "Oh," he murmured. "It is raining."<p>

"What?" Basil looked around. "Tis indoors. How could it be raining?"

"Not here," Asari murmured, getting up. "Elsewhere."

"But even outside, there tisn't a cloud in the sky!" Basil protested. "I faileth to understand thee, Asari-dono."

"No, it is raining," Asari felt it deep in his bones. He tilted his head up and stared at the ceiling, as if trying to see the deep blue above. "Water is falling from the eyes of the Sky. It is raining..."

* * *

><p>I think that Iemitsu is his great-great-great-grandson, but I'm not entirely sure. I think that Giotto changed his name to Ieyasu, then had a son named Yoshimune, who had a son named Yoshinobu, who had a son named Ietsuna, who then had Iemitsu. That's three greats, right?<p>

**Sawada Iemitsu:** The External Advisor to the Vongola Family and head of CEDEF. He is married to Sawada Nana, his dearly beloved, and has an adopted son named Basil. He is Tsuna's biological father. Though he seems to be a sloppy and carefree sort of idiot, he is actually very passionate and intelligent. More of the former than the latter. On a side note, the Emperor, Boss, and External Advisor all co-rule the Vongola, but the Emperor and the Boss directly rule the Vongola together while the External Advisor pulls strings from the side.

**CEDEF:** A group founded by Giotto and Alaude. Alaude, who dislikes being part of someone else's organization, created his own (with a little of Giotto's help). The CEDEF stands apart from the Vongola but during critical times it will stand beside them. After a while when he grew bored of it, Alaude stepped down and allowed others to take his place. Now the head of CEDEF is Iemitsu, but it seems that Alaude is deeply regretting this decision...


	12. Long, Long Ago

**Taira-keimei:** Got to love Iemitsu, only that he is a really stupid guy. And whoops... oh well, I'm sure that no one minds... Besides I've always wondered how there were only four generations over 400 years.

**Kanojo wa Rinko:** Major LOL. And if the Angelos see a flying Humano, it will be shot on the spot and then brought in to eat for dinner (kidding).

**TotalAmuto:** Actually... none of them. The entire male Sawada line was named after previous Japanese Shoguns. Tsuna is named after _Tokugawa Tsunayoshi_, the fifth shogun of Japan, son of the third shogun, _Tokugawa Iemitsu_.

**Unknown Variable:** (a) I apologize for the traumatizing mental picture. My bad. (b) Giotto strikes me as a deadpan humor guy when confronted with ridiculous situations. He's not the type to freak out like Tsuna, or overreact like Gokudera, so deadpan like Hibari it is. (c) Yes, Iemitsu is an idiot. What else is new? (d) I loved writing that scene. XD (e) Yes it's short. I wrote that in the beginning. (f) The wings will come in later. The reason is surprisingly ordinary for everyone except the First Generation. (g) No story with long-lost children is complete without angst. End of story. (h) ... Yes he is. Wasn't that obvious from the very beginning of the Ring arc? (i) I'm playing with the idea that each flame represents an emotion of the sky. I think that Rain represents both sadness and relief. (j) Hey, it wasn't Alaude's decision, it was Iemitsu's predecessor. Alaude was regretting stepping down from the position.

**hokkyokusei:** Hey, he's a normal guy. He gets embarrassed and angry like normal. And, well, the Lussuria thing will take a while... And Iemitsu has the right to be miserable because his son does not know him. Natch.

**HibirdlovesNamimori:** Glad you liked that bit, nyah~ :3

**forgottentears6:** Iemitsu's always like that though. AND MY GOD. THE NEXT CHAPTER. HIBARIIIIII~

**cael05:** Yeah, he was pretty ugly at first, and then Amano-sensei's art turned all shoujo-y. And this chapter is a bit longer, so it should be okay, right?

**Fire the Faith:** He's not actually stupid though, he's just a stupid father. And again, the reason that wings are hidden are for a far more ordinary reason than most people think. Well, except the First Generation...

... Amano-sensei, do you seriously hate Ryohei now? He just got knocked out. That's sad...

And whoo~ Skull will probably spill the secret to the rest of the Arcobalenos (he'll cave under Reborn and Colonello's threats after all) and we'll see the Adult!Arcobalenos~ FOOOON~

And Hibari... you seem so happy :)

* * *

><p>"So how many other people know?" Iemitsu asked, wiping his eyes on his arm. Giotto didn't bother to erase the moist tracks on his cheeks.<p>

"Almost everyone else knows," Giotto ticked them off on his fingers. "My Guardians know... Basil knows - he accidentally called him 'Sawada Tsunayoshi' before, Tsuki's Grace that he didn't notice - ... Fuuta knows... well, in Oozora's years, he's older than Tsunayoshi-kun... Dino also knows, but then again he is also older... Basically, everyone but Tsunayoshi-kun knows."

"I see," Iemitsu looked reasonably more cheerful now. "Well, I might as well see him off before he leaves then~"

Giotto cast him a warning look. "Iemitsu, you _cannot_ tell Tsunayoshi that you are his father - "

"I know, I know," Iemitsu waved a careless hand. "Give me some credit. I was elected to the the External Advisor, remember?"

"... That wasn't_ my_ decision..." Giotto muttered.

* * *

><p>A breeze blew on Tsuna's face, harsh and cold, and he bolted up in surprise. For whatever reason he was laying on the floor with a jacket over him. Reborn and G. were arguing hotly next to him, something about taxis. Tsuna reached up to brush his bangs out of his eyes, then squeaked when static electricity shocked his fingers. G. glanced over at him. "Oh, sorry," he apologized, calming down in an instant. The wind swirling around them died down and when Tsuna touched his hair again, the static electricity was gone. "When I get angry, things get a little... stormy."<p>

"Eh? Um, that's okay," Tsuna said. _Come to think about it, is that why the air around Asari-san feels so humid all the time?_

Another breeze blew and Tsuna automatically glanced at G. The redhead held up his hands defensively. "Not me this time."

"Yeah, it doesn't stink as much."

"SHUT UP YOU DAMN BABY, THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT."

Reborn and G. started bickering again and Tsuna shivered from the cold gale. He wrapped himself up in what he realized was G.'s coat to keep warm. He took in surroundings curiously. They were in a room with silver walls, with the same strange, glowing stones he had seen decorating the hallways. A balcony door was flung open, explaining the earlier breeze. Above it hung a gigantic gold cross. He edged towards some of the glowing stones and sighed in relief when he felt their welcome heat.

"Do you like the _hoshi_?" came a voice. "Do you like the stars?"

Tsuna looked up to see a dark-haired man wearing priest clothes and a gold cross. He had a genial, sociable look on his face. And he looked vaguely familiar... "What are _hoshi_?" Tsuna asked curiously. "What are stars?"

"Ahh, I forgot that Terra has forgone the stars," the priest smiled. "My name is Knuckle. I am the _Hareta no Shugotenshi_."

"Oh!" Tsuna gasped. He quickly stood up and almost tripped over the hem of G.'s coat. "I am honored to meet you, Knuckle-sama. My name is Kozato Tsunayoshi," he said, quickly regaining his composure.

Knuckle laughed kindly. "No need to be so tense," he said. "I'm not as stiff on politeness as some of the other Guardian Angels. You're free to call me 'Knuckle'."

"Uh... okay," Tsuna said uncertainly. "So what are stars?"

Knuckle reached out towards one of the glowing stones and grasped it firmly with his bare hand. With a single, sharp tug, he plucked it from the wall and held it out for Tsuna to see. "Careful, it's hot. I'm the only one who can do this since I'm from Hareta."

Tsuna admiringly examined the stone. It was like a shining diamond, only a thousand times more brilliant. It was also surprisingly small; the shine around it had made it seem much larger. "It's pretty," Tsuna said wistfully. "I wish we had these in Terra."

Knuckle laughed. "That's an impossible wish. Stars only come from Oozora," his eyes glittered, amused. "Or more specifically, from _Yomosugara_."

"_Yomosugara_?" Tsuna carefully pronounced the new word. "Where's that?"

"It is the world above Oozora," Knuckle said pointed up towards the ceiling, in to the world beyond. "It is a sacred place, where no one but Giotto, the Boss, the External Advisor, and the rest of the _Shugotenshi_ are allowed venture. It is the world Terra used to see when it faced away from Hareta."

"There's a world above Oozora?" Tsuna said, completely confused. "Since when?"

"Since the very beginning," Knuckle beamed. "Since Mare, Oozora, Arcobaleno, and Terra came in to being. It has always been there, but it has never been explored."

"Why?"

"Because it is too vast, too complicated. And the origin of the stars..." Knuckle hesitated. "Well, that's a story for another time. Tsunayoshi-kun, right?"

"Y-Yes."

"So you've been to Hareta? How are my nephew and niece doing under Lussuria's control?"

"Your nephew and niece?" Tsuna furrowed his brow in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

"Oh," Knuckle looked disappointed. "I thought that you would see them, with my nephew being extremely loud all the time and my niece being the Princess. Oh well."

"Whoa," Tsuna's head shot up. "Back up. Was your nephew an Angelo with white hair and your niece is actually a man?"

"... Well, my nephew certainly has white hair but I don't think Kyoko was a man, at least that's what I believe. I haven't, erm, checked for ages."

Tsuna thought quickly. "By any chance, is Kyoko a very pretty girl with orange-colored hair?"

"That's her!" Knuckle grinned. "She's always been a beauty. Many noble families are asking for her hand in marriage you know~"

Tsuna sweat-dropped at the Sun Guardian's gloating. "I... I see..."

_Come to think of it, this guy DOES look a lot like Sasagawa Ryohei..._

"Great going, genius," Reborn called from where he was still arguing with G.

"STOP READING MY MIND!"

* * *

><p>Enma sipped at his coffee and wondered how many more days - or even weeks - it would take to fully organize and clean the storage room. They had been at it for three days so far and had little progress as a result. He sighed and again wondered when Tsuna would come home. When he wasn't busy or sleeping, he often thought about his precious little brother and what he could possibly be doing. From the east came a strong wind, making the trees whisper in rustles.<p>

_I hope the Angelos don't bully him..._

He tilted his white garden chair, decorated with a grapevine design, back to stare up at the shield, at the projection of the fake sky. He had been in Oozora once, long long ago. He remembered meeting Emperor Giotto who had been kind to him, and meeting the rest of the _Shugotenshi_. He wondered if they had changed at all.

_Probably not, since they are immortal_.

He sighed and straightened his chair with a _thump_. Reaching for a biscuit, he spread it with blueberry jam and chomped on it forlornly.

"Lonely, my Prince?" came Byakuran's voice from behind him.

"A little," Enma replied, offering him a cup of coffee. Byakuran took it and added four spoonfuls of sugar. Enma grimaced when the white-haired man also began to add sweet cream.

"Ahhh, delicious," Byakuran declared after a sip. He took the chair opposite of Enma and smiled at him. "Now what is troubling you, my Prince?"

"A lot," Enma said truthfully.

"A little lonely and a lot troubling you? Fire away," the Scholar said benignly and looked expectant. Enma felt as if he had no choice now but to spill.

"Of course, I'm worried about Tsuna," he began, "but I'm wondering still why didn't Grandfather let me go. I have more experience in diplomatic agreements than Tsuna. I could be more useful!"

Byakuran tilted his head. "Of course, you also must realize why Prince Tsunayoshi has the highest chance of success rate, right?"

Enma bowed his head. "Because he was originally an Angelo," he mumbled.

"It was quite a surprise to me when I first heard of it from Princess Mami," Byakuran reached for the coffeepot. "But I haven't heard the full story. Tell me, my Prince, how did Prince Tsunayoshi come to Terra?"

Enma bit his lip. "It's a bit of a long story..."

"We have time," Byakuran waved at the fake sky, still lit to represent morning. "And you're the Prince. It's not like anyone is going to rebuke you."

"I guess..." Enma smiled and poured himself another cup of coffee to wet his throat. "Now where should I start?"

* * *

><p><em>Enma Kozato was three years old when the Angelo fell from the sky. That night, lights twinkled in the castle window. Today was a day for celebration because it was the young Prince of Terra's birthday. A great clamor rose as the young Prince blew out the three candles on his birthday cake. Enma was a precocious little child, who was expected to become a great man in the future. <em>

_"Happy birthday, Enma!" cheered a young girl with long black hair tied up in a ponytail. She leaned over to give the prince a peck on the cheek, then was pulled back by a young boy wearing a white fedora too big for his head._

_"Ewww, cooties – ouch!"_

_"Shut up, Julie!"_

_Enma laughed softly and shyly. He was timid around adults and didn't speak as much as he probably should. Adelheid's mother, Lady Nerina of Ghiacciaio, gently ruffled Enma's hair and went on to reprimand her daughter. "Don't hit him, Adel. It isn't ladylike."_

_"Yes, Mother," Adelheid sulkily released Julie, who coughed and ran away to his father, Lord Sabbia of Deserto, who gave a boom of laughter and ruffled his son's hair._

_"Looks like you haven't quite manned up yet, Julie!"_

_"Father!" Julie gave a rare blush of embarrassment._

_Ooyama Rauji, Mizuno Kaoru, and Aoba Koyo were all standing nearby, grouped together as they laughed and played among themselves. Enma eyed them wistfully. The small redhead had never had the courage to talk to them properly. If he had to confess, Adelheid was the only real friend he had. Julie was more of an acquaintance than friend, especially since the young Lord of Deserto barely ever talked to the Terra Prince anyway. He looked in another direction and saw that Shitt P., that extremely strange girl who never spoke to him either (though Adel said it was because Enma never addressed Shitt P. properly, much to the younger boy's confusion), was levitating slowly over her father's head. The Lord of Palude coughed in embarrassment and tugged on the bottom of her shoe. "Very nice, dear. Please get down now."_

_"Okay, Commander Fango."_

_"Don't call me Commander Fango! Call me Daddy!"_

_"Okay, Daddy Fango."_

_"It's not… Gah! Honestly, what made my parents name me 'mud' in the first place…"_

_"Grandma said it was because you were a blotchy brown baby."_

_"Don't listen to Grandmother!"_

_Enma muffled a giggle and turned away. He saw his parents and his little sister together, talking to someone who looked very important. He wanted to go over and throw his arms around his mother's legs, but he was three years old now and he wasn't a baby anymore. He chewed on his fingernail and looked around until he located another set of familiar legs. "Grandfather Cozart!"_

_The King of Terra, Cozart Shimon, glanced down at his grandson and laughed. "Hello, birthday boy," Cozart smiled and bent to scoop him up in his arms. "Enjoying your party so far?"_

_"… Un," Enma nodded in what he hoped was a happy manner. Cozart squinted at him and then chuckled._

_"It's fine," he whispered softly, so that only Enma could hear. "I'm not a lover of parties either."_

_Enma's dull red eyes widened in fascination and snuggled closer to his grandfather's chest. Cozart was the only one who seemed to completely understand Enma. The young prince loved his grandfather with an incredible loyalty that surpassed any of the Terra's faithful subjects._

_"Shall we step outside for a bit?" Cozart offered. Enma nodded his head repeatedly, showing how much he wanted to get away from the party. The King of Terra laughed and carried him outside to the Selva Garden._

_There were six gardens total, all of which surrounded the castle in a circle and faced the regions they represented. They also had separate characteristics which told apart which regions they stood for. The Selva Garden was the most beautiful and stunning garden, with a great forest of Swiss pine, Norway maple, Italian Alder, and many more native plants. Grandfather and grandson held hands and walked beneath the green leaves to a round clearing. Enma raised a hand and pointed towards the great sky above._

_"Look, Grandfather! A shooting star!"_

_"Oh, you're right," Cozart said, barely catching a glimpse of a white streak. "That means someone is being reborn."_

_"Really?" Enma asked, his eyes shining curiously. "Why?"_

_"The stars in the sky represent a soul, Enma," Cozart explained. "When a person dies, they become a star and when it is time for them to be reborn, the stars shoot across the sky and disappear. Then they appear somewhere else as a Humano, Angelo, or Tritone," he smiled. "I remember when Mami was born two years ago, a star also shot across the sky."_

_"What about the moon, Grandfather Cozart?" _

_"Ahhh, the moon. The moon is the soul of one of my dearest friends," Cozart gazed up at the silvery orb. "Vongola Riku Yuzuki. When she died the moon came in to existence to shine her kind light upon us at night. Before, there were only the stars and darkness."_

_"Was it scary?"_

_"No, little one. It wasn't scary, but don't you feel safer with her watching over you?"_

_"Yeah!" Enma exclaimed. He stared up at the moon with his childish innocence. "Thank you for protecting me!"_

_Cozart laughed softly. Enma's eyes swiveled upwards and pointed again._

_"Look, Grandfather! Another shooting star!"_

_Cozart looked up and immediately frowned. Something was wrong. "That's not a star," he muttered and quickly pushed Enma behind him. "Get back! Cover your eyes!"_

_Enma obediently shut his eyes and covered them securely with his hands. There was a loud explosion and a sudden grunt from Cozart as if he had just been struck by a heavy blow. A humming noise thrummed through the air; it sounded like the Shimon Ring. Enma's knees knocked together in fear, but he kept his eyes resolutely shut. It wasn't until everything was silent did Enma peek from between his fingers._

_The first thing he noticed was a giant glowing crater right next to them. The second thing he noticed was his grandfather standing on the edge of the crater, staring with disbelief at the contents. Enma sidled to the King's side and looked in to the crater._

_He had expected to see remnants of a star, perhaps scattered fragments of shining stones. He did not expect to see a beautiful baby boy with a bleeding back whimpering from pain. Enma bounded in to the pit, despite Cozart's shout of warning. _

_"Enma, come back!"_

_"But it's bleeding!" Enma cried. He held up his hands against Tsuna's back to stem the flow. "He's hurt, Grandfather!"_

_Cozart cursed, a very, very rare thing, and also leaped in to the pit. He scooped up the baby with delicate care and examined him. "Oh, Dio..." he muttered. "It can't be Giotto's..."_

_"Giotto-jiichan?" Enma asked. He remembered meeting the Emperor a month before. He had been a kind, playful sort of man who willingly played the villain when Enma had wanted to play monsters and heroes. He had even taken Enma for a flight through the air, something that had thrilled the currently-three-years-old child to no end._

_"There's no time to explain," Cozart said. He took his grandson's hand and led him away. "Let's go, Enma. We need to talk to your parents."_

_"Okay," Enma trotted along without complaint, still staring at the beautiful little baby boy in the King's arms, who now slept quietly under the stars._

* * *

><p><em>The Terra Castle immediately took custody of the baby Angelo and the Terra Council argued over many days and nights on whether to let it live or die. Little Enma sat with the angel as the adults argued, running his tiny hands through its downy brown hair. Its wounds had been treated with the utmost care. The angel slept through all the noise and breathed softly and calmly, with a strange tranquility that made Enma feel at ease. <em>

_ At that exact moment Cozart stood up and slammed his hands down on the table. "Enough!" he roared. Instantly the Council silenced themselves and looked to him for instruction. "I will not stand for the death of a Sky Child!" _

_ "But Your Highness…" one chose to foolishly raise his voice. Cozart's piercing gaze stifled all complaints. _

_ "I know what you will say," Cozart said in a softer voice. He sat back down and his red eyes lost their danger. "I know. However Emperor Giotto is still my best friend, despite the murders of one of our Famiglias."_

_ This time loud protests arose and the clamor was almost impossible to suppress. Enma clasped his hands over his ears and tears welled up in his eyes from the din. Shimon noticed and motioned for him to come over. Little Enma obeyed and his grandfather scooped him in to his lap. Noticing the action, the Council once more stopped their fight._

_ "What do you think we should do, Enma?" Cozart asked him in a gentle voice. Enma, sucking on his finger, stared up at his grandfather. _

_ "I like him," Enma proclaimed. "Can we keep him?"_

_ Utter stillness penetrated the room. Cozart glanced over at the angel in the cradle and smiled slightly. "Why not? It's a good idea, little one."_

_ The Council members made soft murmurs of disapproval. Cozart slid Enma from his lap and looked around the room with a calm, but imperious gaze. "The future King has spoken. We shall keep the Angelo. All in favor?"_

_ He rose his hand. Slowly, at the speed of molasses, each of the Council rose their hand, uncertainty in their eyes. Cozart chuckled appreciatively and stroked Enma's silky red hair, so much like his own. "He is yours, Enma. Go and play. The nurses will take care of him."_

_ Enma gave his grandfather a wide smile and gave the leg in front of him a hug. He rushed to the cradle to give the angel a quick kiss on the brow and left the room, running towards his playroom where the children of the Council were waiting. _

_ "We can keep him!" he announced happily. Aoba Koyo, Mizuno Kaoru, and Shitt P. cheered. Suzuki Adelheid, Katou Julie, and Ooyama Rauji all nodded and went back to their chess game. _

_ "What will you name him?" Adelheid asked. A young girl of four but she was already bigger than all of them in height and courage. _

_ "I don't know," mused Enma. It should be a strong name, but a pretty one too. He's really pretty." _

_ "You call him 'Angel', why not just stick with that?" Julie scoffed, secretly switching the position of his bishop when Adelheid wasn't looking. Rauji opened his mouth to tattle but was quickly quieted by Julie's hand. Adelheid found out anyway and gave the eldest boy a sharp whack on the head with her fist. _

_ "That's not a proper name for a boy!" she huffed. Julie gave a groan of long-suffering and slumped to the ground, pretending to be knocked out. Shitt P. and Koyo giggled, both poking him in the cheeks to wake him up. _

_ Adelheid tilted her head, long black hair rippling behind her, and said thoughtfully, "What about Tsunayoshi?"_

_ "Tsunayoshi?" Enma questioned. "Why?"_

_ "I heard that it was the name of one of the old Kings of the past. It sounds like a strong name."_

_ "Whaaaat?" Julie complained from the ground. "Then what about Hidetada, Iemitsu, Ieyasu, or even Ietsuna – ouch!" he yelped. Adelheid had thrown her queen chess piece at him. _

_ Enma smiled, satisfied. "Tsunayoshi! I like it. It's a nice name," he agreed and sat down to play Legos with Shitt P. "I hope he can be my new little brother!"_

* * *

><p>"So Lady Adelheid is the one who gave Prince Tsunayoshi his name?"<p>

"Yes. Don't you think it was fitting?"

"Hmmm... it was certainly coincidental..."

"What?"

"Nothing..." Byakuran smiled brightly. "I'm surprised. Not that many people remember the stars or the moon anymore. You have a good memory, my Prince."

"Thanks," Enma smiled, a little embarrassed. "I remember a lot of stuff from when I was a kid. I guess because a lot of big things happened."

"Indeed..." Byakuran murmured. "Many things..."

* * *

><p>"So you're going to Arashi first, eh?" Knuckle said thoughtfully. "G., why don't you tell him about it? It's your home country."<p>

G., who was still in a bit of a bad temper because of Reborn, lit a cigar and took a puff. "Arashi," he began, "is a pretty stormy country, as you can probably guess. The storm is something that glues all of the affinities together. Cloud, mist, rain, lightning, sky... hell, even in the eye of the storm, it has the sun."

"Eye of the storm?"

"Oh right, you're from Terra so you wouldn't know. You've never experienced a storm, have you?"

Tsuna shook his head. G. looked thoughtful. "Hey, Knuckle, do you mind if I..."

"Not in here you don't," Knuckle said sharply. "I recently rehung up that cross. If you knock it down _again_ - "

"Okay, okay. I won't," G. snorted. He inhaled another lungful of cancer and looked at Tsuna. "You felt that wind before, right? And you know what rain and lightning are, right?

"Yes..."

"Storms are when strong winds blow and rain comes down and lightning and thunder strike and sound. All at once," G. said. "That's not the permanent weather though. In Arashi it's normally just really windy. The storms only happen about once or twice a week. Other than that, it's mixed weather. A storm for a first-timer may be a bit difficult to deal with, so I'd suggest getting to the capital city in the eye of the storm."

"Which is...?"

"The eye of the storm? It's a calm spot within the storm. It's where the wind is less and it doesn't rain as much. You can see the sun there too."

"Oh," Tsuna cocked his head. A region wreaked by wind and/or rain 24/7? He couldn't imagine it. The very idea was completely opposite of weather-less Terra. "Should I bring an umbrella?"

G. and Knuckle both laughed. Tsuna blinked. "We're not laughing at you," Knuckle assured him. "It's just... it'd be better if you took a poncho, not an umbrella."

"What's a poncho?"

"We've got our work cut out with his idiot," Reborn pipped up. Tsuna scowled.

At that moment, Giotto and Iemitsu stepped in to the room. Tsuna recognized the rugged blonde man and immediately backed away to hide behind G., who was mildly surprised; he was sure the Prince was scared of him.

And of course, Iemitsu almost cried. Giotto handed him a handkerchief from his pocket and smiled at Tsuna. "Are you ready to go?" he asked genially. Tsuna nodded and sneaked another glace at Iemitsu, who was still blubbering.

"Primo, are you sure that I can't tell him - "

"_Do you want to suffer a horrible death?_" Giotto muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Iemitsu flinched and clamped his mouth shut.

_Why is he mean only to me?_

"This is the room dedicated to my Empress," Giotto gestured around. "After the moon appeared, her ashes were scattered on it. That over there," he pointed to a chunk of rock that Tsuna had not noticed before. It was gray and lumpy looking and riddled with rocks, at the same time there was some sort of majestic feel to it, "is part of the moon. This is a shrine to worship her. She loved the stars. They are all her precious friends."

"... Rocks are her friends?"

"No, didn't..." Giotto stared directly at Knuckle, who coughed in to his fist and mumbled something along the lines of "_Ihaven'ttoldhimyet,he'stoodelicatetoknow_."

Giotto sighed. Knuckle's over-protectiveness was a bit annoying at times. Then again, Knuckle had always been overprotective of Tsuna when he was still a baby. "_Anyway_, we wish you good luck on your journey. Hareta is setting now, but this room stores up a lot of energy during the day - kind of like a solar panel - so this is the best place for Reborn to recharge his pacifier."

Tsuna wanted to ask what a solar panel was, but then he remembered Reborn's earlier comment and decided to keep quiet.

"Want some help?" Knuckle asked. "I can have one of my men come here to help you charge. _Hareta no Tenshi_ wings store up sunlight too."

Tsuna blinked. "Then... why don't you do it?"

"Huh?" Knuckle laughed and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Oh. I lost my wings. I can't do it anymore."

"HUH?" Tsuna yelped. "When? Why?"

"Oh, well," Knuckle glanced at Giotto, who gave a nod of assent. "Our wings, um, got sealed a while ago. Most Tenshi hide their wings and use them only when necessary or for formal occasions. But ours were sealed... a while ago."

Tsuna felt as if Knuckle had been about to say something else, but he had no idea where the notion came from. He glanced at Giotto, who seemed to be smiling at him with... pride? Why pride? He decided that he read it wrong.

Giotto, however, was indeed feeling pride at the moment. He had noticed Tsuna's odd look towards Knuckle and realized that his descendant must also have Hyper Intuition. So yes, Giotto was feeling very prideful indeed. Either fortunately or unfortunately, Iemitsu was still bawling in to his handkerchief and missed the whole moment.

"I'm fine by myself," Reborn said. The pacifier around his neck was flashing, slowly at first, then faster and faster.. "Dame-Tsuna, I'll be ready in a minute. Go pee or whatever before we leave."

"WHAT THE HECK! STOP BEING SO VULGAR!"

Giotto gave a quiet snort of laughter as the flashing light sped up until it ran together and simply shone. "I'm ready. Let's go, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn tapped the orb around his neck and immediately around his feet the sun disk materialized. Tsuna quickly stepped on before it began to float. It slowly levitated its way towards the open balcony. Giotto tapped Iemitsu on the shoulder gestured towards them. Iemitsu took one look at Tsuna about to leave and started crying again.

Giotto sighed and waved at his (unaware of being) grandson. "Have a safe trip. You're welcome to come back anytime if you want a break."

"Thanks, Giotto-ojiisama!"

Iemitsu froze.

"Let's go!" Reborn said and the sun disk zipped away, just as Iemitsu rounded on the Emperor.

"YOU SAID THAT WE COULDN'T TELL HIM!"

"I didn't tell him _everything_. Besides, he calls Cozart his grandfather! I'm just as old! It's proper!"

"THAT'S ABUSE OF AUTHORITY!"

While Giotto and Iemitsu began to trade punches, Knuckle looked at G., who looked back.

"... Want to get some tea?"

"Sounds good."

They left the two blondes behind, discussing the weather, recent events, and whether or not Reborn would get sued for using K*rby's disk.

* * *

><p>I know that most kids don't develop memories until they are four, but let's just pretend, okay?<p>

A science lesson for you readers: moonlight is from the sunlight bouncing off the moon, so in this case, the moon can reciprocate the sunlight - weakly, but enough - for Reborn to recharge. Okay? Okay.

**Knuckle:** The _Hareta no Shugotenshi._ He once killed a man in a boxing match and out of regret he retired and became a priest. After he stopped aging, he was approached by Giotto to become a Guardian Angel. He initially refused, then after he rescued the Vongola from a tight spot, accepted. Sasagawa Ryohei and Sasagawa Kyoko are his niece and nephew.

**Yomosugara:** The sacred world far above Oozora, shrouded in darkness and mystery. Whenever someone dies, Humano, Angelo, or Tritone, a new star appears. When a shooting star appears, it is a sign of rebirth. The phrase _Tsuki's __Grace_ comes from the Moon, or _Tsuki_, where Vongola Yuzuki's grave is. It is said that at the full moon, you can see her wandering about the surface, searching for Giotto. Giotto often goes to Yomosugara to pay his respects to those who were important to him. Even during a full moon, when he goes to the moon, he cannot find his wife again, nor can she find him.


	13. Dreams of Memories

**Miyanoai:** It's okay, everyone is kind of scared of AU stories. I am too, but it seems I'm better at writing AU than I am at KHR-Universe because I'm a total stickler for correct information but Amano-sensei likes dishing out all these new people and facts. T_T Tsuna was kidnapped before Mami's death. Have you read chapter 12 yet? And I love Alaude, not just because he's a European version of Hibari.

**Unknown Variable:** (a) Well, if flame affinity is hereditary... (b) In terms of Oozora years, then yes. Actually, in terms of Oozora years, Fuuta is older than the entire Tenth Generation Shimon Famiglia. (c) Knuckle is a lot calmer than Ryohei, or at least that's the impression I got from the drama CD about the First Generation. (d) ... The shock hasn't worn off of him yet. Give him a bit of time. (e) Thank you :3 (f) Duh. (g) It's my ideal relationship between them. _Iemitsu_: I totally love my sweet, adorable little Tsuna-chan, but I also love my Nana~! It's hard to decide who I love more! I'll just love them both~! _Giotto:_ ... WTF, since when did I have such a stupid great-great-grandson? (f) It's more pitiful than it is sad. They can't meet anymore.

**SushiLoverForLife:** Ahhhh, the Varia... Jesus, how _am_ I going to introduce them?

**forgottentears6:** Hibari's looks... changed again. Have you noticed? His weird looking nose is back. He was so attractive as TYL then when he reverted back ten years Amano-sensei drew those weird lines on his nose again. Why? Has he not grown in to it yet? And looking at that color page for the popularity poll, I thought he was TYL!Xanxus for a moment there. =_= And I'm a little disappointed that Enma didn't make the top 5. Oh well. Better luck in another year if the series is still running by then.

**Princess Arcs di Cielo: **Yup. She uncannily managed to name him: his actual name. Which is pretty impressive. But I guess Tsuna looks like a Tsunayoshi?

**cael05:** Muchas gracias. And no, Adel just guessed and she got it right. And Giotto is a family man so it seems like something he would do. :P

**WindmillQuill**: MY GOD, I WOULD KILL FOR 120+ REVIEWS. But, well, as you can see... no dice. I'm guessing it's because most people avoid AU stories like the plague.

**Kanojo wa Rinko****:** Tsuna did have wings actually; remember that his back was bleeding? They weren't exactly destroyed on the way down, but they're gone now. Thank you for the crossover~

**Taira-keimei:** I just wonder if Giotto did not have kids in Japan until very much later on in life or something. And yes, K*rby will be a running gag. :D

**Fire The Faith:** ... Hate to burst your bubble, but it was coincidence. :P And I'll get there, but if you reread the first chapter, you might get why. And Iemitsu... is a creeper. Gokudera shall show up soon~

**TotalAmuto:** Yes, yes he does. Because he can. XD

This chapter will finally reveal a little of Reborn's backstory, woo~

* * *

><p>"Say, Reborn," Tsuna said, "is Leon okay?"<p>

"Hm?" Reborn took off his fedora to look at his pet. The chameleon did seem a bit pale around the outer edges of the scales. "Oh... it seems that Leon might lose his tail soon..."

"Really?" Tsuna asked curiously. "Do chameleons grow their tails back?"

"They do, but when Leon loses his tail, it's an ominous sign."

"How so?"

"The person I'm in charge of might die."

"GYAHH! Don't say such weird things!" Tsuna yelped. He thought about Dino, who also used to have Reborn as a... teacher, apparently? Had Dino gone through the same headaches he was going through now?

"He was better at coping with them than you are though."

"WILL YOU STOP - Gaaah, forget it," Tsuna grumbled. He flopped down on to his back and watched the clouds speed by. "I wonder how Enma's doing..." he mumbled. Reborn glanced at him.

"Go to sleep, Dame-Tsuna. You still need to adjust your time," Reborn said. Tsuna yawned and happily obliged. In several seconds, he was obliviously snoring away. Reborn yawned himself and settled his tiny back against the slight curve of Tsuna's hip. "Watch the controls for me, will you?" he said to Leon. The chameleon stared back with its bulbous yellow eyes and twitched its tail. Reborn tilted the brim of his fedora down to cover his eyes and fell asleep, a nose bubble growing and shrinking in time with his breathing.

What they dreamed was something a happy memory, but changed quickly, very quickly...

* * *

><p><em>"Geez," a girl's voice said. "Wake up! Wake up!"<em>

_Tsuna, age eleven, blearily fluttered his eyes open and saw a familiar pair of red eyes staring down at him. "What's wrong, Mami?" he rubbed his eyes. "Did something happen?"_

_"Don't you remember?" Mami asked, plopping herself down next to him. Though she was twelve years old, one whole year older than Tsuna, she was very bright, bubbly, and still quite childish. "Byakuran is going to become the Royal Scholar today!"_

_Tsuna bolted up. "Today?" he exclaimed. _

_Mami rolled her eyes and huffed. "Yes, today," she brushed back her shoulder-length red hair and smiled. "Too bad Grandfather is away. He hasn't gotten to meet Byakuran yet."_

_"Oh yeah... But doesn't the Council need Grandfather's permission to appoint a Scholar?"_

_Mami waved her hand. "Enma and I gave them permission. Byakuran is really smart, Tsuna. He's worthy of the job."_

_"If you say so..." Tsuna said doubtfully. "I guess it's a good thing since _her_ death..."_

_"... Yeah," Mami said, a little sadly. "Poor La***. I hope she rests in peace."_

_"Huh?" Tsuna picked at his ear and frowned at Mami. "Could you say that again?"_

_"I said, 'Poor L****. I hope she - "_

_"Wait, say it again, I still can't hear you."_

_"What's wrong with your ears? I'm talking about *****! Are you listening!"_

_"I am listening!" Tsuna said. An annoying buzzing was filling his ears and making Mami's voice too fuzzy to hear. "But there's this weird sound that won't stop!"_

_"What are you talking abo - " suddenly Mami's voice cut off as if her voice had been lost in static. It wasn't just her voice; her entire image suddenly seemed to flicker and she faded away. _

_"Mami!" Tsuna yelled, reaching out for her. He grabbed hold of her arm and tried to pull her closer. "Mami! Ma...mi..." he stared at the person who's arm he was holding, and it wasn't his sister's. "Mu... Muku..."_

_"Hello," Rokudo Mukuro said, his red eye shining with undisguised glee. "We meet again my little Ouji, Tsunayoshi Kozato."_

_All at once the scenery changed. They were no longer in the Terra gardens. Instead, they were in Eden, under the same sakura tree they had sat under before. Mukuro was dressed in the same white clothing, and Tsuna realized that he too was wearing the same._

_"You... You..." the brunette sputtered in surprise. He quickly let go of Mukuro's arm and backed away. "How... why..."_

_"Didn't I tell you, little Ouji?" Mukuro laughed. "I said I would see you again in another dream, did I not?" he knelt before Tsuna and smiled a smile of a predator looking at its prey, his dark blue hair handsomely falling over his blue eye. "I missed you, you know."_

_"I didn't!" Tsuna squeaked. Mukuro's presence within his mind scared him. "Please get out of my dream this instant!"_

_"That's not nice, Tsunayoshi," Mukuro chuckled. "You're acting like a girl who just got peeped on." He sat down next to the Prince and suddenly pulled him closer, almost in to his lap._

_"HIIII! What are you doing - "_

_"What is troubling you, little Ouji?" Mukuro asked gently. Tsuna blinked and stared suspiciously at the criminal. The blue-haired man's aura had suddenly softened. "Don't look at me like that. I am worried about you, Tsunayoshi-kun."_

_Tsuna blinked at the sudden revert from Italian to Japanese. "Why are you worried..."_

_"Because I can worry about you. And you're someone who needs to be worried about," Mukuro chuckled. "Much like that Bucking Horse, Chiavarone Dino. But I digress. Tell me, what is on your mind?"_

_You, Tsuna was about to say, before he realized that it could be mistaken for a pick-up line. "My mission," he chose to say instead. Mukuro raised a fine eyebrow._

_"I see. And what is your mission, pray tell?"_

_"Why do you want to know?" Tsuna said, still suspicious. Mukuro chuckled again. _

_"Kufufu... because I know how Vongola works," he said, referring to Giotto. "It was the same for me when I was exiled to Terra."_

_"Eh?" Tsuna said in surprise. "Giotto-ojiisama gave you a mission too? What was it?"_

_"That's no fun, now is it?" Mukuro wagged a finger at him. "You tell me your mission and I shall tell you mine. Okay?"_

_Tsuna stared in to the red and blue eyes and grumbled, "Fine," before answering, "I'm supposed to overthrow the Varia and take back the Vongola Rings," he said unhappily. "Your turn."_

_"Oya oya, overthrowing the Varia," Mukuro laughed outright. "Kuhahahaha! What a sneaky man, Vongola Giotto. But clever, very clever indeed. I see," he smiled eerily at Tsuna. "And now for my mission. I was to protect a certain individual from all harm, despite the great distance between us," Mukuro said. _

_Tsuna blinked. "What individual?"_

_"You merely requested to know the purpose of my mission, not the details," Mukuro grinned craftily. Tsuna's mouth dropped open and sputtered about the unfairness, but the convict took no notice. "If you wanted to know, you should have specified, Tsunayoshi-kun~"_

_Tsuna grumbled for a bit more before resigning from asking. He leaned back against Mukuro's chest, having long adjusted to their slightly awkward position. "Why do you always come into my dreams, Mukuro?"_

_"Kufufufu..." Mukuro chuckled and Tsuna felt the older man rest his chin in his brown hair. "Because I want to see you, Tsunayoshi-kun."_

_"Liar," Tsuna mumbled, his eyelids starting to droop. _Can you fall asleep within a dream? _His eyes slid shut and his breathing grew even. Mukuro watched as the body in his lap turned in to sparkling orange dust and dispersed. Mukuro sighed. _

_"It is no lie, Tsunayoshi-kun."_

_Eden faded away and the blue sky above was transformed in to the dark red of madness. The sakura tree dried up and withered away, and the grass became chunks of jagged rock, with dangerous spaces in between which fell down to nowhere but an eternal void. Mukuro sighed again and leaned his back against the now dead tree. _

_"I wonder," he mused, "what would you think of my world, Tsunayoshi-kun?"_

* * *

><p><em>What Reborn was dreaming was just as sweet in pleasant in the beginning; a long ago memory, treasured forever. <em>

_He awoke in his bed. Not the slightly rundown one he had been using since he had taken refuge in Terra; his grand featherbed with silken yellow sheets and a great canopy. Leon snoozed on his bedside table in a small basket made personally for him. A knock sounded on his door. He remembered who it was. It was always that person at this time in the morning._

_"Reborn!" rang a sweet woman's voice. "Time to wake up!" _

_Reborn grumbled quietly and slid out of bed to open the door. The door was full-sized, for Humano and Tenshi guests, but there was a smaller door within the door, with a tiny handle to match. It was the perfect size for the baby. He now seized the handle to open the door and frown grumpily at the woman dressed in white in front of him. "It's seven in the morning, Luce."_

_Luce smiled sweetly at Reborn and tugged on his sleeve with her tiny hand. "Let's go. It's time for breakfast. I already woke up everyone else."_

_Reborn yawned. He glanced down at himself, dressed in his yellow polka-dot pajamas, and muttered, "Give me five minutes," before shutting the door and heading to the bathroom. _

_When he opened the door again, he was dressed in his usual crisp suit and fedora, with Leon perched on the brim. Luce nodded her approval and they walked down the hallway together towards the kitchens. Even before they got there they heard Skull screaming for mercy as Verde most likely poured whatever concoction he had in hand down the Cloud baby's throat. There was a loud retching noise and Skull burst out of the door, almost straight in to Reborn, before running like hell to the nearest bathroom. _

_"Oh dear," Luce said and immediately followed him. Reborn took the initiative to head in to the kitchens and saw Lal Mirch, Viper, and Verde all sitting at the table, eating and drinking without conversation. Fon, as usual, was nowhere to be seen; probably outside feeding the birds and, Lichi, his pet bald-uakari that he had picked up in Oozora. _

_Reborn hopped up to his seat at the table and pulled the large silver jug of fragrant espresso towards himself. As he poured himself a cup he glanced at Lal Mirch and asked, "Where is Colonello?"_

_Lal swallowed her buttered biscuit and wiped her lips on her napkin before replying, "I sent him outside to do fifty laps around the house. That brat still needs training."_

_"He's a full-grown man now."_

_"A brat is still a brat," was the cool reply. Lal reached for a banana and peeled it with such ferocity that Reborn wondered exactly what Colonello had done to make Lal so angry. Sexual harassment? But how does one sexually harass a baby?_

_Reborn was still puzzling over the fact when Colonello walked through the door, Fon sitting on his shoulder. Colonello went straight to the fridge and pulled out a sports drink, which he promptly swallowed half of in one gulp. Fon jumped off his shoulder and smiled amiably at Reborn. "Good morning."_

_"Morning," Reborn replied. _

_Colonello pulled up a seat to the table next to Lal and collapsed into it. Lal glared at him. "If you're so tired from a measly fifty laps, then maybe we should do some more to improve your stamina."_

_"Geh!" Colonello came back to reality with a jolt. "Geez, one little kiss on the cheek and you - "_

_He didn't get to finish that sentence before Lal had leaped from her chair to grab his ear and pull his head savagely down to the table. "You. Will. Not. Speak. Of. It," she hissed with such venom that Verde, who had been sitting on her other side, scooted his chair a couple inches away from her._

_Colonello wasn't like the Reborn and the rest; he was a normal _Ame no Tenshi_ with abnormal battle skills who also happened to be Lal's current apprentice and/or disciple. She wasn't the only one; Reborn, and Fon had apprentices too. _Luce, though she had no apprentice, was training her daughter to become head of a Famiglia._ The Hareta baby had yet to meet with Fon's apprentice, however. His own apprentice, a certain clumsy Chiavarone Dino, kept him too occupied. He had heard, however, that Fon's current apprentice was his son. Reborn wondered which son before Colonello's yelp of pain pulled him out of his reverie. _

_**It's a pity, isn't it?**_

_Reborn sat straight up in his seat and darted his eyes around. That voice... that voice was..._

_**All the ones you had treasured, all of them distrust you**_

_Reborn gave a quiet snarl. Viper noticed and glanced up from his waffles. "What's the matter?"_

_"Nothing," Reborn said. He reached for his cup of espresso and put it to his mouth to drink._

That's right...

_The espresso tasted like nothing. He grimaced and put it down. _

This is nothing but a dream...

_Luce and Skull came through the door, the latter noticeably pale, and the kindly woman noticed Reborn's face. "Is something the matter?"_

**_You did your best to save her. A noble effort. But even so, she died in the end..._**

Shut up, _Reborn thought in his mind. There was a soft chuckle of sinister laughter._

_**Don't be so angry. For the one that you treasured most of all, you risked everything... friendship, happiness, trustworthiness... it was a wonderful end. **_

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

**_My my, such language from a baby,_** the voice said mirthfully. **_But you have a second chance now, don't you? Vongola Primo gave you a way out, didn't he?_**

_Reborn's face tightened even more. Luce again noticed and took the espresso away, saying that she would make a fresh pot. Reborn thanked her quietly before sliding off his chair, ignoring Skull and Viper's argument over the syrup, and walked out to the garden. None of the others, save Fon, noticed. _

**_But do not forget, never forget, what you have done... Traitor, traitor,__ traitor..._**

_The voice faded away and Reborn gritted his teeth. Leon, worried over its master, peeked its head over the brim of the fedora. _

_**The curse cannot be**_

_And then Reborn was staring in to a mirror, seeing himself not as a baby, but as an adult with golden wings. He was taller, cooler, and his charisma was apparent. Behind him there was a squeal of surprise and he turned. Luce, also now a full-grown woman with bright orange wings, smiled happily at him. Then her face suddenly changed and she screamed in horror as her face wrinkled and seemed to dry up like a prune. Her blue-gray hair was turning gray, then shining silver. Reborn was struck with a horrible realization; she was aging too fast. Desperately, he whirled upon the mirror and smashed it with a well-placed kick, but it was too late. Luce crumbled in to dust, the orange pacifier around her neck falling on to her ashes. Reborn let out a roar of fury and sadness, then the ground beneath him shattered and he was falling, his wings destroyed. The last thing he heard was the mysterious voice whispering in his ear. _

_**You tried to break it...** the voice whispered ethereally, and Reborn cringed, knowing the next words. _

_**But you failed, didn't you? **  
><em>

* * *

><p>Reborn was awoken by Tsuna, who was frantically shaking him as if he were about to die. "Reborn! Reborn! Wake up!"<p>

"Shut up," Reborn kicked Tsuna in the face. "I'm awake."

"Yeow!" Tsuna yelped, falling backwards. "That hurt, you... this isn't the time for that! Over there! Look? What is that?"

Reborn wiped the sleep out of his eyes, irritated, and saw what Tsuna was screaming over. "Oh, that."

"What is that huge black cloud? And there's lightning and rain everywhere!"

"You idiot," Reborn said. "That's our destination."

"Wha - You can't possibly mean..."

"Yep, Dame-Tsuna. That's Arashi."

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

* * *

><p>Damn, there are a lot of characters to introduce. Eep! With my dying will!<p>

**Mami Kozato:** Enma's younger sister and Tsuna's older sister. She is a bright, bubbly kind of girl who makes everyone smile. Both of her brothers adored her and spoiled her rotten. She was the first emissary to Cielo, but she was apparently killed by Angelos. No further information has been recorded.

**The Seven Arcobaleno Sages:** The seven incomplete humans formed by Giotto and Cozart to govern Arcobaleno. Their biggest wish is to become adults. Each of them are incredibly strong and have many disciples who help carry out their name and duty. Each Sage governs a color/section of Arcobaleno. The citizens of Arcobaleno are also called Arcobaleno, and each color branched off as a bridge to a different region of Oozora, then on the way down to Terra, reconnected. Each color/section of Arcobaleno also matched up with the English name of the regions they were connected to. It seems that the main language of Arcobaleno was English...

**Luce:** The leader of the Arcobaleno Sages and the governess of Sky. She was a beautiful and kind woman who possessed the ability to see the future and possibly creatures from 'the other side'. Her insight and intuition are almost unrivaled (except for Giotto) and she was very close to Reborn. She had a daughter who rose to become head of a Famiglia which fled to Oozora when Arcobaleno was destroyed. Luce's animal partner was Cosmo the squirrel.

**Viper:** The slightly childish, androgynous leader of Mist. He is exceptionally greedy and loves money most of all. He also has quite a sweet tooth. He often argues with Skull, for the two are closest in age. He has the ability to cast illusions so strong that many believe them to be real. His animal partner is Phantasma the snake, which often disguises itself as a common frog.

**Skull:** The immature youngest of the Arcobaleno and so-called ruler of Cloud. 'So-called' because the citizens of Cloud had dubbed him too stupid to rule and looked to Alaude for guidance instead. He is always bullied and lackey to both Reborn and Colonello. Often times he is forced to obey everyone else's orders as well. Even Luce, who is gentle to all, cannot help but order him around. He once performed as a stuntman (with extremely CGed effects to hide his age) and become known as 'The Immortal Stuntman' because of his many dances with death and walking away without a scratch. His animal partner is Oodako the giant octopus, who is just as stupid as its master.

**Fon:** The very calm and wise governor of Storm. He is a quiet and pensive sort of baby, who is also a master of kempo and can even catch a bullet within his hands. He is recognized as the strongest Arcobaleno Sage in unarmed combat. He likes Chinese and Japanese culture best. His animal partner is Lichi the bald-uakari, which he also trains to become a kempo master. Despite his great love of Mapo Tofu (spicy Chinese tofu), he often cries when he eats it because babies cannot eat anything spicy.

**Verde:** The intelligent and arrogant lord of Lightning. A mad scientist, he dislikes anything illogical and will go to any length to gain information for his research. Out of the Arcobaleno, he can be considered the most psychopathic and the most disliked. He is one of the inventors for the boxes. His animal partner is Keiman the crocodile.

**Lal Mirch:** The rough and tough chief of Rain. She is a member of CEDEF and the ace of its COMSUBIN. Her military skills are just as brutal as her personality. She does, however, have a heart of gold and a love to raise strong apprentices. Her current apprentice, Colonello, is giving her quite a headache. She is the only Arcobaleno without an animal partner, but she does have Zamza, the _Scolopendra di Nuvola_ box weapon.

**Colonello:** Known as one of the strongest _Ame no Tenshi_, Colonello is a third-generation native of Rain, whose relatives come from Ame. He is Lal's current apprentice but it seems that he loves her more than just a teacher. He wishes that Lal could lead a normal life as a Tenshi instead as an Arcobaleno Sage. A little before Arcobaleno was destroyed, he went missing and has not been seen since. His animal partner is Falco the white hawk.


	14. Meeting of the Storm

**Unknown Variable:** (a) BZZZT! Wrong answer! (b) Apologies for the shiptease. But for me, it's enjoyable to write. (c) I made sure that it would be obvious~ (d) LOL, those are the PJs that he wore in the manga. I guessed they were yellow because he's the Sun Arcobaleno. (e) Skull shall forever be the victim as long as Reborn and Colonello are alive. (f) ... Riiiight, how about you reflect on it for a while before asking that again? (g) ... Well, we'll see. (h) Hey, when I was six years old I thought 'stupid' and 'shut up' were bad words. And come on, do you ever see a baby curse like that anyway? (i) Yep. Apparently his name is 'Checkerface'. Waaaaay, creative, Amano-sensi. (j) I bet you can train monkeys to become kempo masters. Fon definitely can. 8D (k) ColoLal is a canon OTL~

**cael05: **Sorry about that. You can ignore it... And yes, RebornxLuce and ColoLal is love~ Gokudera will be in this chapter.

**Kanojo wa Rinko**: THANK YOU. I knew something was off. I kept rereading my chapters and thinking why the hell it sounded so flat. Compared to how I used to write, this is an improvement, but I guess it's not enough. Thanks for the advice. I'll do my best with descriptions (which are not and will never be my forte, but be gentle please).

**hokkyokusei:** I hate the Dying Will Bullet so I'm going with the Rebuke Bullet. Leon shall lose his tail shortly~ Not this chapter though.

**animepie:** It'd _better _be thought out. This story with all details is killing me. Even when I do my homework I think 'Should I make Tsuna and Reborn meet Gokudera first or a different character? How should they meet? How am I going to introduce the Varia?' And blah blah blah like that which drives me nuts within my own head. And Byakuran in the manga is exceptionally difficult to pinpoint because now he's switched over to the good side and he wants to ally with Tsuna but then he might turn evil again. GAAAAH. And no, Reborn did not send Tsuna down to Terra. Why Cozart did not give him back... is mostly because if someone threw him down from Oozora then doesn't that mean that he's in bigger danger up there then down there...? La*** is actually a very obscure character who is extremely important within the original storyline, but very few people, fans or not, know this character's name. It'll be revealed later in this chapter~

**forgottentears6:** I love Lal too, especially her tsundere personality. And Enma could have made the top 5 if he had come in to the story plot a little sooner...?

**Drunk:** Heehee, thank you very much.

**Taira-keimei:** Yup, but in this chapter, there are some mysteries solved! And yes, illogical power-ups in Reborn are considered to be the canon.

Anybody know a thing about Italian architecture? Cause if you do, _**HELP ME.**_

And WOO~ Almost as 100 reviews~

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><p>"How the hell are we going to survive <em>this<em>?" Tsuna screamed over the howling wind and booming thunder. Reborn veered sharply to the right to avoid a harsh breeze and Tsuna squealed in fright as he was almost thrown off the sun disk. "HIIII!"

"Hang on!" Reborn said. "We're almost to the eye of the storm. Just wash your neck and wait, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna whimpered and gamely hung on to the disk with trembling fingers. _Dear Enma,_ he dictated in his mind, _Today I died in the first storm I ever experienced. When my battered body crashes it down in Terra, please bury me next to Mami's grave. I love you. Goodbye, Tsuna._

"You know, the will is completely unnecessary."

"Stop reading my mind and concentrate on driving this thing, please," Tsuna muttered, now used to Reborn's frequent invasion of his privacy.

All at once, the winds lessened and the rain slowed to a drizzle. There was one final crash of thunder, one final flash of lightning, and sudden the surroundings were flooded with soft light. Tsuna looked up. Though it was still cloudy, the sun was barely peeking through.

"There it is," Reborn suddenly said, pointing somewhere below them. Tsuna peered over the edge of the disk and gasped.

Below them was an enormous cliff, with an Italian styled town built in to it, with ever familiar renaissance architecture and cobbled paths, and at the very top of the cliff, an enormous castle that looked weirdly similar to the Terra Castle. The people below were like little ants, scurrying to and fro as they tried to complete their criteria for the day. Trees sprouted in groves here and there, and flowers, wet from the drizzling rain, sparkled like tiny pieces of glitter. It was humid, it was wet, it was gorgeous.

"Welcome to the capital of Arashi," Reborn said. "_Kamikaze_."

* * *

><p>"Shit, shit, shit!" the boy swore as he tore down the street. He was a handsome boy with bright green eyes and shining silver, shoulder-length hair now tied up in a small ponytail. His clothes - a red t-shirt with a white jacket over it and blue jeans - were badly torn; it almost looked as if he had been clawed, which was actually pretty accurate.<p>

Sprinting down the back alleys in one of the slummiest parts of town, he dodged and jumped over the hurdles that came with poverty: shattered pieces of glass, burnt pieces of wood, a poor soul muttering to itself as it laid inert on the road. He quickly ducked in to a branching alleyway and held his breath as the chasers passed him by. The moment they were gone, he went back in to the original alley and ran back the way he came. He almost slipped in a puddle and cursed explicitly.

"Getting chased again, Smokin' Bomb?" called a voice. The boy looked up to see the kindly old woman who often gave him food looking down from a third-story window.

"Yeah," he muttered. His voice was low and hoarse. He rummaged around in one of his jean pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Putting one between his teeth, he rummaged around for his lighter. In only half a minute he managed to pull out twenty sticks of dynamite, fifteen miniature bombs, two magazines about UMAs, one Terra edition and the other Oozora, and a fistful of yen in coins. But no lighter. "Damn," he cursed.

Behind him, two men, both dressed in rags and drunk on _sake,_ were half whispering half shouting to each other about him. Their wings, small and crimson in color, flapped awkwardly like a shot duck.

"It's Gokudera Hayato, the Smokin' Bomb!"

"Isn't he wanted for killing fifty-nine subordinates of the Varia?"

"Yep. He'll probably get the death penalty to raising his hand against the Prince."

"Ha! Fuckin' little half-breed deserves it."

Gokudera whirled on them, brandishing his unlit sticks of dynamite. "Who's a half-breed?" he snarled. "I'm a _quarter_, dammit, or do you people know nothing about measures and fractions?"

The men, upon seeing the dynamite, gave yelps of fear and tore off through the alley, shrieking at the top of their voices about murderers. Gokudera muttered, "Keh!" and turned away. He knew that the comment shouldn't bother in anymore; ever since he took to the streets, he had been called worse names.

"You shouldn't do that, Smokin' Bomb," the woman from the third-story window reproached him. Gokudera tilted his head back up to look at her and mumbled, "Whatever," before stalking down the alley.

Still rummaging around his clothes, he finally managed to find his lighter in the inner left pocket of his shirt where he kept the mini-bombs. He lit up and inhaled the smoke with undisguised relief. Smoking relaxed his nerves. Screw cancer.

He trudged back to his home, a small 1K apartment in one of the nicer parts of the slums. 'Nicer' was a relative term. It was only 'nicer' because there were less bars in the area and drunks did not wander about. But there were still the pickpockets, the prostitutes, and the local nutcase who screamed bloody murder every time somebody got near him. Gokudera thought about playing his piano when he got home; he had gotten it for a good deal in the black market and managed to smuggle it up the staircase. Luckily he lived only on the second floor.

His apartment, a medium-sized gray building with a shingled roof, was in sight when a loud shout came from behind him. The Smokin' Bomb cursed and fled down another branch alley and made as many turns as possible to lose his pursuers. It didn't do him any good, however, when he suddenly ran in to a dead end.

_WTF. There has never been a dead end here, why now?_ he thought furiously. Whirling around, he quickly armed himself with his dynamites and waited for his chasers to round the corner.

He didn't have to wait long.

A furious battle erupted as Gokudera flung his dynamites the moment he heard approaching footsteps. _Three... two... one..._ the timing was perfect. The first runner who had dashed out in front of the rest, a youth dressed in the typical Varia soldier uniform, was caught in the explosion. There was a strangled cry and the man laid dead on the ground, his body charred like barbecue. His companions did not pause to mourn - as if they were even capable - and instead they trampled over the body to pounce upon their prey. An _Iena Tempesta_ - damn hyena had ripped his favorite shirt - lunged for him. Not for the first time, Gokudera cursed that his box weapons had been forcibly confiscated several weeks ago. As annoying as she was, Uri would have been good to have right about now.

Gokudera flung another handful of dynamite and gave a valiant attempt to dodge under the Varia henchmen's legs and escape. While it did fail, he managed to floor one of them by headbutting the crotch. It was gross and fucking _dirty_, but it got rid of one enemy so the Smokin' Bomb wasn't about to complain. He scrambled to his feet, purposely stepping on the writhing man's fingers, and flung out another dynamite, this time directly in front of him so that the blast could blow him backward and give him a bit more leverage in terms of room. Someone grabbed for the silver-haired from behind but he sensed the motion and lashed out with his foot to land a blow to the solar plexus.

When it seemed that Gokudera would be able to escape, reinforcements arrived. Gokudera cursed and quickly pulled out another handful of dynamite and lit them with his cigarette. Said cigarette was running short and would be unable to hold up much longer. And there was no time to get a new one out of his pocket and light it either. Another Storm Hyena attempted to sink its teeth in to his neck, and Gokudera was uncomfortably reminded of a certain _irritating __bastard_. Thinking of _that_ irritating bastard led to him to think of _another_ irritating bastard, making the Smokin' Bomb more pissed off than before. Why the _hell_ was he thinking about the baseball idiot at a time like this?

While he was distracted with his own thoughts, one of the Varia goons managed to land a blow with his staff. Head reeling from the sudden attack, Gokudera swiped dizzily at the man but missed and fell backwards, scraping his hands on the ground. Like ants to a dead caterpillar, the Varia swarmed towards him, weapons upraised and box animals poised to attack. Gokudera groaned at his own predicament.

_Guess... guess this is the end, huh..._

He shut his eyes and braced himself for the beating that he knew would come. What he didn't expect was a sudden white flash of light from under his eyelids and an extremely loud explosion. The light was too bright to open his eyes to, so Gokudera waited until it had died down before cracking his eyes open.

This was even _more_ unexpected; a small, fragile brunette with wide-open and panicky eyes fussing over him. "Are you okay?" the brunette cried. "Reborn! You should have been more careful! Next time look where you're landing!"

"Whatever, Dame-Tsuna," a small baby, wearing a suit and a fedora, said, rolling its large black eyes. A chameleon, a rare species that Gokudera was sure was extinct, weakly crawled around on the brim of the fedora and gave off the impression of being extremely tired.

Gokudera stared at the brunette with disbelieving eyes. "Did you just... flatten those guys?"

The boy cocked his head and glanced back at the spread-eagle forms of the Varia subordinates. "Er... in a manner of speaking, yes. I'm sorry, the sun disk is really difficult to control sometimes, and..."

"Don't chalk up the blame to me, Dame-Tsuna. If you hadn't suddenly grabbed me screami-"

"It was your fault for being so reckless in the first place!"

Gokudera shakily reached for his cigarette pack and lighter, both of which were miraculously still intact. He lit one up and took a puff. "Thanks," he said gruffly. "I owe you one."

"Eh...?" Tsuna blinked. "Oh... no problem," he wondered what the silver-haired was talking about. The last thing Tsuna remembered was being caught up in a spontaneous gust of wind which nearly blew him off the sun disk, leading to him grabbing Reborn for support and the baby deciding to do a sudden emergency landing. Yeesh.

"You must be pretty strong to defeat them with only one attack."

_Eh? Did he misunderstand something?_ "Eh, um... sure..."

Tsuna tugged at the chain hidden under his shirt subconsciously and his fingers encountered an unfamiliar lump, a smaller and slightly thinner ring around his neck. He pulled out both the chain and the unfamiliar thing to see both the Vongola Sky Ring and the fragment of the sky which he had secured as a necklace using a leather cord. "I can't believe I forgot about this," he said in disbelief. "I thought that... what's wrong?"

This question was directed at Gokudera, who's jaw had dropped open in amazement, sending the cigarette out of his mouth and dangerously close to his leg. "Th-That's," he sputtered. "That's the Vongola Sky Ring!"

"Oh, yes," Tsuna said, embarrassed and just remembering how important the ring was to Tenshi. "Giotto-ojiisama gave it to me..."

"_Giotto-ojiisama?_" Gokudera's mind was racing at a million miles an hour. No _wonder_ this guy was so powerful! "Then... That means you're the next Boss! The Decimo! The Juudaime!"

"Eh?" Tsuna's inquiry was lost as Gokudera sudden grabbed both of his hands and squeezed them tightly. "You saved me, Juudaime!" Gokudera declared. "I shall follow you for the rest of my life!"

"EHHH?" Tsuna yelped. "I-I'm not the next... Wait, what are you even talking about?"

"What's your name?" Gokudera demanded.

"K-Kozato Tsunayoshi..."

"Tsunayoshi..." Gokudera was even more convinced now. "You're named after one of the ancient Emperors! It all fits! Pleased to meet you, Juudaime! My name is Gokudera Hayato, also known as Smokin' Bomb Hayato! I'm a pyrotechnical fighter with dynamites! Please accept me to be your right-hand man! I'll take over for that stupid uncle G. of mine!"

"N-Nice to meet you, Gokudera... -kun... G.-SAN IS YOUR UNCLE?"

"Well... yeah," Gokudera tilted his head thoughtfully. "After he stopped aging quite a while back, my grandparents - who were pretty damn old even for Tenshi at the time, I don't know how they managed it - gave birth to my dad. Eww," he shuddered at the idea of his ancient grandparents getting it on. "But yeah, G.'s my uncle. A bit of a bastard, but still my uncle."

Tsuna's jaw almost unhinged itself at hearing this. "G.-san didn't even mention it," he muttered.

"That might be because I ran away from home when I was a kid," Gokudera said offhandedly. "Probably shamed the family name of Giotto-sama's right-hand man. Whatever," he muttered rebelliously. Tsuna resisted the urge to back away slowly and run like hell. "But Juudaime!" he looked up, green eyes sparkling. "I promise to be the best right-hand man ever! I shall always protect you from harm to matter what, I swear!"

Tsuna stared at the puppy-eyed teen who almost looked like he was pouting. "Um... sure, you can come with us," Tsuna said carefully. "Just don't... kill too many people with those dynamite of yours, okay?"

"YIPPEE!" Gokudera let out a uncharacteristic cheer of joy and began to jump around very energetically for someone whose life had just flashed before his eyes. Tsuna watched, bemused at his behavior. Reborn, who had been lurking in the background the entire time, leaped up to Tsuna's shoulder.

"Are you sure you want to take him along. If he's not strong, then he'll just be useless baggage."

"Reborn!" Tsuna reproached him. Then he sighed. "I think I can trust Gokudera-kun," he admitted. "He's a little... zealous, but I think we can be friends."

Reborn narrowed his eyes. _Hyper Intuition...? No, something deeper_. "Why do you say that, Dame-Tsuna?"

"Because... his eyes? His hair? I don't know. I just know that I can trust him," Tsuna frowned. "Come to think of his, his eye and hair color remind me of someone. I think it was... AHHH!"

Tsuna's last words came out as a shout of surprise. Gokudera immediately stopped cavorting around and rushed to his now beloved boss's side. "What's the matter, Juudaime? More enemies? Shall I blow them up?"

"No, no!" Tsuna yelped. He grabbed Gokudera by the arm and spun him around so that they were facing each other. "Gokudera-kun, what was the name of your mother?"

"My mom?" Gokudera's expression turned troubled and a hint suspicious. "Why?"

"Just tell me!"

Gokudera shifted his feet uncomfortably. "She died a couple years ago..."

"I know that! Tell me her name!"

"You knew that she died?" Gokudera cleared his throat. "Uh, her name was..."

* * *

><p>"Oh."<p>

"What is it, Byakuran?" Enma asked. He had a cloth tied around his hair to protect it from dust. Wearing an apron and holding a feather-duster made him look less like a prince and more like hired help. "Did you find something?"

"Who is this beautiful woman?" Byakuran passed him a small photo, the frame gilded with gold. "An old fling of His Majesty's?"

Enma promptly whacked Byakuran over the head with the feather-duster, making the Scholar's hair turn prematurely gray. "No, you idiot!" Enma said. He looked at the photo and smiled at the image of the beautiful woman, whose hair was long and silver and eyes were a deep green. "This was the previous Scholar before you. She was a wonderful and intelligent woman..."

"How old was she?"

"Oh, she was way older that she looked. I heard that she was about the same age as the oldest member in the Council of Elders."

"Were she and His Majesty close?"

"Very... I did kind of wish that she and Grandfather could marry, but she was in love with someone else, far away."

"Oh, a long distance relationship?" Byakuran, who actually knew everything about this woman already, asked. "What was her name?" another thing he already knew.

"She had a beautiful name too..." Enma said with a sigh. "Her name was..."

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><p>"Lavina. Gokudera Lavina," Gokudera said, his eyes turning soft at the memory. "She was a great mom... or at least, she would have been if I knew that she was my mom. She was the one who taught me how to play piano too... Juudaime?"<p>

Tsuna wasn't listening. His ears had shut down the moment he had heard the name 'Lavina'. A memory of a recent dream rose up within his brain.

_"Poor Lavina, I hope she rests in peace..."_

"_That's_ who Mami was talking about!" Tsuna said to himself. "That's right, Scholar Lavina!"

"You _knew_ her?" Gokudera said, startled.

"Yeah! She was my..." Tsuna paused. Could he talk about his true identity in such an open place? "C-Can we talk somewhere else?"

"Uh, yeah," Gokudera said, now even more taken aback at the sudden change of subject. "Let's go to my place. It should be all clear now..." he reached up to run his fingers through his hair only to hear Tsuna give a very surprised squeak.

"Y-Your hand! It's all bloody!" Tsuna babbled, staring at the crimson streaks in Gokudera's silver hair. "You got blood all over your hair!"

"Oops," Gokudera said, looking down at his slender piano fingers which were indeed bleeding profusely. "Dammit, now I've got to go see that damn quack again."

"A doctor?" Tsuna said curiously.

"Nah, a skirt-chaser under the guise of a doctor," Gokudera said, tucking his hands in to his jean pockets to hide them. "But he can be pretty reliable when he needs to be. Let's go to his clinic. We can trust him enough to talk there," and he turned and began to walk.

"Ehhh, but... HIII! Don't leave me behind, Gokudera-kun!" he yelped and chased after Smokin' Bomb. Reborn secretly chuckled to himself.

_You're a crafty one, Primo... already Tsuna has begun to gather his new Guardians..._

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><p><strong>Gokudera Hayato (a.k.a. Smokin' Bomb Hayato):<strong> A runaway who lives by himself in the streets of _Kamikaze_. He was born in to a rich family (as G.'s nephew) and was raised to be well-cultured. His mother was his father's mistress and was therefore not allowed to see him except for three times per year. She secretly taught him how to play piano. Gokudera is brash with a fiery personality but he's more soft-hearted than he first appears. His main weapon is dynamite but it seems that he had a box weapon and a box animal before they were confiscated by the Prince of Arashi, whom technically should have been Gokudera, but it seems that he has been usurped by the Varia...?

**Gokudera Lavina:** Gokudera's mother, who was much older than her appearance. She is actually a half-Tenshi, half-Humano born in Arcobaleno, making Gokudera a quarter-Humano. She was a professional piano player in Arcobaleno when she met Gokudera's father and the two fell in love and Gokudera was born. However, as the mistress of Gokudera's father, who was Arashi Royalty, her career was destroyed and she was left with nothing except three yearly visits to her son, whom she cherished like oxygen. Somehow she was forced down into Terra and became the Royal Scholar, but how this happened is currently unknown. **(Authors Note: THIS IS NOT AN OC. Gokudera's mom really was named Lavina.)**

**Arashi:** The stormy country which serves as Oozora's main attack force. Arashi is always covered by rain, lightning, and wind. While it is not the ideal region to have a picnic, it is the best region for integrating with Terra culture. It seems that G. built the capital _Kamikaze_ with the intention of making Giotto happy, for the Emperor loves Terra despite the war.

**Kamikaze:** The capital of Arashi which is in the eye of the storm, in other words the most clear place. While it does have an occasional storm (at least twice per week), the storms there are weak and easy to prepare for. The name _Kamikaze_ literally means "divine wind". However, in other cultures, it can also mean "reckless".


	15. The Unexpected Downpour

**Drunk:** As far as I know, it's his _only_ dream. Haha, I've never actually watched _Wizard of Oz_ before :P

**Unknown Variable:** (a) It's a Japanese saying. It basically means 'wait there'. (d) I don't think Gokudera only wears a ponytail while studying... that's his glasses, isn't it? (f) Nah, the old lady isn't really important. Unless some new old lady suddenly shows up in KHR. (g) Sorry for the horrid mental image. XD (h) Irritating bastard is actually Hibari. And that'll be shown later on. (i) YEAH, it being a total misunderstanding bothered me too, but I didn't know what else to do. T_T (j) Gokudera has, as everyone knows, a selective hearing, selective sight, selective thoughts, and a very over-fueled imagination. XD (k) Noooo, that'll be explained in this chapter. (m) Not telling.

**Fire the Faith:** Thank you, thank you... and even _I_ don't know where the heck Byakuran stands. This story is practically writing itself out.

**cael05:** Glad you liked it ^.^ I'm trying to go for the unexpected. Yep yep~! 5980 friendship~

**TheParadoxicalOtaku:** WAO. Thanks for the four reviews. :) AND YES I HAVE HIT OVER 100 REVIEWS. *plays _Hallelujah_* Will take the marshmallows and cookies, not so sure about the rainbows and sparkles *pushes them off to the Arcobaleno and Ryohei*. Thank you~ *plays _Kufufu no Fu ~Boku to Keiyaku~_* NOW REVIEW FOR ME FOREVER! MWAHAHAHAHA!

**hokkyokusei:** Indeed~ Gokudera appears~! And subtlety is not Gokudera's strong point. XD

**forgottentears6:** I love them too~ and I'm glad we finally find out who Fran went with~ You should like this chapter then... or maybe not, in retrospect... depends on whose fan you are.

**Dream36:** I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE THE DESCRIPTIONS. I've been working hard with them and they are not my strong point at all ^_^' Thanks for all the praise!

**TotalAmuto:** YES, GOKUDERA. 8D

**Taira-keimei:** Thank god. I only figured out Lavina's name a couple weeks ago and tried to integrate her in. And LOL, it's okay. Everyone has their own lives outside of fanfiction, as unbelievable as it may seem. To tell the truth, I think I wait for all my regular reviewers to review before posting a chapter because I don't want to miss anybody on the replies. XP

This chapter may be... a _bit_ heartbreaking in more ways than one, so brace yourself.

108 REVIEWS! *jumps around insanely* Thank you all!

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><p>Cozart, ran his fingers through his red hair and sighed. He was dressed in a semi-casual black suit and had a bouquet of lilies in one hand and a bottle of Calabrian wine in the other. He stood in front of an ornate grave made of white marble, with the name <em>Lavina Gokudera <em>engraved in fine cursive print. There were no dates, no other words. Simply her name, alone. The only other things which kept the name company were the two balloon wine glasses sitting almost invisibly on the right.

Cozart sighed and sat himself down on the lush green grass. The cemetery was always well-kept. The gardeners went at painstaking lengths to keep the plants off the graves and the flowers bright and flourishing. Taking one of the wine glasses, he poured a cup of Calabrian and set it down in front of the grave. Then he poured one for himself and gentle clinked the glasses together. "It's good to see you again," he said softly. "My wife would be angry if she knew I was running to another woman for advice," he added as an afterthought, chuckling. He took a sip of the Calabrian and savored the smooth taste. "A good year," he mumbled too himself, checking the label.

Setting down the glass, he leaned back so that he was propped up by his arms behind him. Red eyes met the dim azure and he sighed. "I miss the true sky sometimes," he sighed. "More like all the time, actually. Almost as much as I miss Giotto."

The thought of his best friend made Cozart feel depressed. Somehow, Byakuran's words from a while back slowly floated to the top of his brain.

_**"Have you ever wondered... why you are immortal?"**_

Cozart gritted his teeth and did his best to keep his temper. Of course he wondered why he was immortal. Why was it that he could live on forever, while his family and people died normally. Why was he unable to die? In all truth, it wasn't as if he hadn't gotten fatal wounds before, but they always healed before they became life-threatening and his vitality proceeded. Even his wife, lovely Azzurra, had died even though she had tried her best to stay alive for him. **_"I'm sorry,"_** she had whispered before passing away **_"for leaving you alone."_**

He sighed once more and drank down his glass of Calabrian before pouring himself another. "Dear lord," he mumbled. "I hate getting sentimental. Must be my age."

He sighed, wondering just how old he was. As far as he could remember, he had been alive... and alone, with no parents or siblings. "I don't even know my real age," he said to Lavina's grave. "I've just always been here."

_Perhaps... Giotto would know. He's suppose to be older than I..._ he looked up again at the dull pseudo-sky. _But I can't even ask him if I wanted to, huh..._

* * *

><p>Gokudera banged on the shabby front door of a rundown clinic. Tsuna eyed the place doubtfully. The clinic looked as ancient as the Terra Castle, and definitely not as beautiful. The paint was peeling off in several places, revealing rotting brown wood underneath. The windows were grimy and the streaks from rain were clearly visible. A haphazard placed sign read SHAMAL in bold <em>katakana<em>. Tsuna wondered if the doctor was a foreigner.

_I wonder what sort of person lives here_, he thought. He glanced down at Reborn who was smirking to himself. Tsuna wondered why.

"OPEN UP!" Gokudera was now shouting, pounding on the door with both hands. The young Prince was worried that the door would break down. The door remained shut. Gokudera gritted his teeth and pulled out several dynamites. "Fucking bastard, I'll blow this place up if you don't answer the door!"

"HIIIII! Don't do it, Gokudera-kun!"

The door swung open and both boys had to jump back as it brushed an inch within their noses. A tall, scruffy man in a white coat stood in front of them. The man ran his hands through his brown hair and snorted. "Huh. I thought I heard a woman's voice but it's just Hayato and another adolescent brat. What do you want?"

"... I'm injured," Gokudera said sulkily, thrusting out his bloody hands.

"I gathered that from my door," the doctor - this was a doctor, right? - pointed at the wood where quite a bloodstain was forming. "But I've told you before. I don't treat guys. And I'm treating a very pretty _signora _in the back right now, so you two can just - "

There was a slamming noise from somewhere in the back. The doctor cursed and ran back in to the clinic. "Drat!" Tsuna clearly heard him say. "She escaped!"

_WHAT KIND OF CLINIC IS THIS?_

Gokudera made a disgusted face. "Perverted geezer as usual," he muttered under his breath. "Idiot Shamal."

So this man was Shamal, the owner of this clinic... Tsuna's opinions of Oozora's health care was going from bad to worse. "Um, is there any other doctor...?"

"Hate to say it, but Shamal's one of the best in the job," Gokudera said. He stormed through the open door, Reborn hitching a ride as he went. "And there are no other underground doctors around here, so it has to be him."

"E-Eh? Underground doctor...?" _SO THIS PLACE IS ILLEGAL?_

Shamal was slumped over a bed with mussed up sheets and - Tsuna hoped that he was seeing things wrongly - hand restraints. Shamal examined and sighed. "Picked them with a lock," he muttered. "Well, I do like clever women..."

"You gonna treat me or not?" Gokudera said brusquely, seating himself in a nearby plastic chair. Shamal reached under the bed and pulled out a first aid kit, which he promptly threw at the teen. Gokudera barely managed to catch it and flinched when his hands made contact.

Reborn hopped off from his shoulder and on to the bed. "Ciaossu, Shamal."

"Oh, Reborn," Shamal said without flickering an eyelid. "Long time no see. How have you been this past year?"

"Not bad," Reborn said. "Got any espresso?"

"Ran out yesterday, but I have some red tea in the cupboard. Help yourself," then he promptly buried his head in to the sheets to mourn his libido. Gokudera put down the first aid kit and got up to open a cupboard to grab the red tea and another to grab a kettle. He seemed to know where everything was, like he had been here enough times to treat this place like a home. "Would you like some, Juudaime?" he asked as he walked through an open doorway which led to the kitchen. He seemed to forget about his hands quite easily.

"Yes, please," Tsuna said politely. Shamal's ears perked at he turned to face the fellow brunette. "Hm? 'Juudaime'? This guy?"

"Yep," Gokudera shouted from out-of-sight. There was a squeak of a handle turning and the sound of running water. "He just saved my life _and_ he has the Vongola Ring of the Sky. It's gotta be him."

"Hmm. Hmmm," Shamal said, looking the fragile boy up and down. "Well, he does look kind of like the Emperor, so I guess..."

_I don't know what the hell these people are talking about_, Tsuna thought nervously. Gokudera came back and sat down again, waiting for the water to boil. He shuffled his feet nervously and glanced at Tsuna. Then he cleared his throat to attract attention.

"So, uh... you were going to tell me about my mom?"

"Oh, that's right!" Tsuna gasped. Shamal looked interested.

"Oh, the lovely Lavina? Damn fine woman. Shame that she liked someone else. She always rejected my advances..."

"With good reason!" Gokudera smacked his fist down on Shamal's head. "Keep your filthy thoughts away from my mom's memory!"

"Yeah yeah," Shamal said, rubbing the top of his head, unperturbed. "I kind of want to hear this too. Spill it, brat."

"Don't talk so rudely to Juudaime!"

Tsuna sweat-dropped. "Uh... well... Gokudera-kun, can we trust this person?" he whispered to the silver-haired.

Gokudera gave a reluctant nod. "He's a skirt-chaser, but he can be pretty reliable," he said. Tsuna glanced at Reborn, who nodded.

"Okay then," Tsuna said. "Okay. I... my name is Kozato Tsunayoshi... or more appropriately, Tsunayoshi Kozato. I am the second Prince of Terra, a descendant of Cozart Shimon and younger brother to Enma Kozato," Tsuna averted his gaze from Gokudera, who was looking more and more crestfallen as he spoke. "I-I'm not the 'Juudaime' that you believe me to be, Gokudera-kun."

"But," Gokudera protested, "you have the Vongola Sky Ring! And you call Giotto-sama, 'Giotto-ojiisama'!"

"That's..." Tsuna hesitated. "Yesterday... or more like a week ago in Terra's time, I was sent here to be an Emissary. That's when I met Giotto-ojiisama and his Guardians. I was sent here to negotiate a peace treaty between Terra and Oozora."

Gokudera tried to interrupt but surprisingly, Shamal stopped him. The doctor looked unusually grave.

"Giotto-ojiisama said that he would agree to the peace treaty on one condition. I have to overthrow the Varia," Tsuna shivered at the thought. "I have to... defeat them somehow and get back the Vongola Rings that they stole. That's why I came here because Fuuta said this was the best place to start..."

"The Royal Scholar Fuuta?"

"Y-Yeah. So..." Tsuna made a little shrugging gesture with his hands. "That's why I'm here. Oh, and Giotto-ojiisama gave me the Vongola Ring so that I would have proof of working for the Vongola, not some other terrifying threat."

Gokudera frowned. "But..."

Shamal had a very suspicious look on his face. As if Giotto would just give the Vongola Sky Ring away, the proof of the next Vongola Boss, so easily without a bigger ulterior motive. Come to think of it... the name Tsunayoshi sounded very familiar... Shamal felt like he heard it before in the Oozora Palace during one of the annual Christmas party. But all he remembered was smooching a bunch of pretty girls in Santa costumes. For such a stoic guy, Giotto sure had good taste in cosplay. Or maybe it was Daemon. Eh, whatever. It probably wasn't important.

Gokudera, a bit downcast now, asked, "Where does my mom come in?"

"Oh, right!" Tsuna said. "Scholar Lavina... I mean Lavina-sensei was my Royal Tutor down in Terra Castle. She was my teacher when I was very young."

"What?" Gokudera stood up so fast that he almost upturned the chair. "No. No way. That can't be."

"Eh?" Tsuna said, confused. "Why?"

Gokudera didn't answer. He merely stared down at his feet, fists clenched and teeth grit. Shamal gave a small, impatient sigh. "You know, this guy here," he jabbed a thumb at the silver bomber carelessly, "is supposed to be living in that huge castle up on that cliff."

"Huh?" said Tsuna stupidly. "You mean the Arashi Castle?"

"Yep," Shamal said, now picking at his ears. "In other words, and in your language, he's an _Arcangelo_. He's an Archangel. He's a member of the Arashi Royalty."

"EHHHH?" Tsuna yelped. "Then... then why are you living out here, Gokudera-kun? Shouldn't you be in the castle?"

Gokudera shot an angry glance at Shamal, who whistled innocently. Then he turned back towards Tsuna, a little sulky. "I ran away from home when I was eight. After I found out that my mom had been forced out of town."

"Why was Lavina-sensei..."

"Cause it's illegal," Shamal spoke up again. "She's not the legal wife. She's the mistress of Hayato's father."

"Oh," Tsuna's eyes grew wide and round. "_Oh_."

Gokudera scowled. "... I don't know that many details, but Mom used to live in Arcobaleno. She was a Tenshi-Humano hybird. She worked as a professional pianist. Once, when Dad was vacationing in Arcobaleno with his wife and daughter, he heard her music and became enamored with her. Mom didn't want to date a married man, especially since he wouldn't be serious with her, but Dad forced himself into her heart and won her over. After that, I was born," Gokudera shoved his hands into his pockets. "Dad had custody on me, so I lived in the castle. Since it was a scandal for the Head of the Royal Family to be unfaithful, my 'other' mom was declared to be my biological mother. My real mom was forced out of her career and her life as a pianist was ruined forever," there was a tremble in his voice, but just as Tsuna realized it, it was gone. Had he imagined it? "Mom was only allowed to see me three times a year. Whenever she came, she encouraged me to play the piano. I didn't even know that she was my mom. I didn't - " there was a definite voice crack now. Gokudera cleared his throat and plunged back in to the story. "After a while, Mom never showed up again. When I was eight, I heard the whole truth from eavesdropping on some gossiping maids. That's when I ran away," he glanced at the doctor, who was still picking at his ear. "Shamal used to be the family doctor, so I ran to him for shelter for a while, and he taught me how to fight with dynamites. Then I got my own place. I've been living by myself since."

Tsuna stared at him. "What did you hear about Lavina-sensei?" he asked in a small voice. Gokudera looked pissed.

"That she died. That she was forced out to Terra just because Dad was scared of having his reputation screwed. Bastard, once I get my hands on him now, I'll - "

"You'll get arrested for killing royalty, Hayato," Shamal said offhandedly. Gokudera rolled his eyes and muttered incomprehensibly under his breath.

Tsuna thought about Lavina, who he had loved like a second mother. He remembered her fond smile and her kind voice... and he remembered that sometimes she looked in to the distance, trying to see something that wasn't there. Once, when he asked her why, she had told him that she was separated from her beloved, whom she longed to see. Tsuna now wondered if she had been talking about her son, not her supposed lover. "Well... she didn't die. She lived in Terra for a long, long time."

"That's the part I'm confused on," Gokudera admitted. "I thought that it was impossible for Tenshi and Arcobalenos to live in Terra."

"Only ones with wings," Shamal said. "If I remember right, Lavina was one of those rare hybrids without wings. She could bear Terra more than most could. The Trinisette did seep through her skin, but at a much slower rate. She probably lived as long as an average Humano, right?"

"I'm not sure," Tsuna confessed. "Lavina-sensei was way older than she looked... she still looked like she was in her thirties when she told me she was older than Terra's Council of Elders."

"Really?" Shamal frowned. "That's odd. When Tenshi do go to Terra..."

"Eh?"

"Nothing," Shamal said. That piece of information was highly classified; he shouldn't have even mentioned it. "It's nothing."

Gokudera looked at Tsuna. "... So I guess you're not the Juudaime after all," he said. Tsuna nodded, eyes apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Gokudera-kun."

"It's fine. It was my misunderstanding. And that doesn't change the fact that you saved me," he sat back down on the plastic chair. "Thanks again, Kozato-san."

"Um... about that, Gokudera-kun..."

There was a loud whistling noise that made all of them (except Reborn) jump. "Oh, the kettle..." Gokudera moved to get up but Reborn gave Tsuna a kick instead.

"Dame-Tsuna, go get the kettle."

"EHHH? Why me?"

"Because you've been sitting on your lazy ass since we got here. Go! And make the tea while you're at it!" he aimed another kick with Tsuna narrowly dodged as he dashed for the kitchen. Reborn sat down on the bed and glanced at Shamal and Gokudera. "Now then, I need to tell you both something, and ask you both something as well."

"What is it, erm... Reborn-san?" Gokudera asked. Reborn pointed at the silver-haired first, a curious glint in his eye.

"First off, Gokudera... why aren't you surprised by me? I'm a walking, talking, violent baby. Most people would have their jaws on the ground by now. But you don't seem fazed at all."

"Oh, is that it?" Gokudera asked, blinking his green eyes. "Well... when I still lived in the castle, a little guy like you would come around from time to time to chat with my dad or my sister. I never talked to him much though. He reminded me too much of a bastard I'd rather forget."

"Really?" Reborn said, interested. "What did he look like?"

"He's got brown eyes and black hair tied up in a braid. And he wears these red Chinese clothes," Gokudera frowned in concentration. "And I remember that he was really strong. Once, when I got attacked by an assassin, he just punched the air and _whoosh!_ The wind pressure knocked the assassin out."

"Ahh," Reborn smiled. "And he looks like...?"

"That damn self-declared disciplinary committee officer in Kumo!" Gokudera seethed. "I _hate_ that guy!"

"Thank you. You have been most helpful," Reborn said. Then he turned to Shamal. "And why aren't _you_ surprised to see me? You used to live in Arcobaleno too, right?"

"I did," Shamal shrugged. "But I don't think that what the officials told us was the whole story, am I right?"

Reborn smiled. "You're as insightful as always."

"It's a doctor's job."

Gokudera stared in between the two, completely confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing you need to know for now," Reborn raised his voice and shouted in direction of the kitchen, "Oi! Dame-Tsuna! Where's that tea?"

"HIIII! Give me some time! I've never made this before!"

"Perfect," Reborn muttered, voice low. "Listen up, you two. This is important."

Gokudera and Shamal leaned in closer, intrigued by Reborn's sudden change in tone. "What's the matter?"

"About the supposed 'Juudaime'... Gokudera, you are correct. Tsuna _is_ the next Boss of the Vongola, but he doesn't know it yet."

"Eh?" Gokudera's eyes opened wide. "Seriously?"

"Yep," Reborn said. "You might not remember this, but you do know about a member of the Vongola Royal Family going missing around five years ago?"

"Ah," Shamal said. "Now I remember. Tsunayoshi was the name of Sawada Iemitsu's biological son. He was a candidate for ruling the Vongola!"

"Right," Reborn said. "Five years ago, Tsuna was kidnapped from the Oozora Palace and thrown down in to Terra. I don't know how he managed to survive, but he's been living in Terra as the adoptive grandson of Cozart Shimon ever since. Neither Cozart nor Enma have told him the truth about his birth, mostly because if they revealed the truth, then it would have been made public and, well, you know how Humanos feel about Tenshi."

Gokudera, riveted, nodded. Shamal pursed his lips thoughtfully. "So who knows the truth now that he's back?"

"Almost everyone in Sora, probably," Reborn said. "And to top it off, a couple unwelcome outsiders from Terra know it to. That's the biggest reason Cozart sent Tsuna back to Oozora all of a sudden. I think he got a tip of impeding dangers."

Shamal whistled. "And the kid knows nothing?"

"Nope, nobody ever told him," Reborn glanced at Gokudera. "And nobody is suppose to. But you can keep calling him 'Juudaime' without problems. He'll probably think it's just a nickname now."

Gokudera, his eyes sparkling, said, "As expected! Even his past is mysterious and awesome! That's Juudaime for you!"

"My oh my," Shamal said, shaking his head. "Looks like he's already taken in by that brat."

"Well, that's his personality, isn't it?" Reborn snickered. Then he yelled again, "Dame-Tsuna! Hurry with that tea!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Tsuna bustled out of the kitchen with a tray laden with four teacups and a teapot. "Jeez... well, give it a try?"

Gokudera took one and carefully blew on it before sipping, not minding the heat on his injured hands. "Delicious, Juudaime!"

"It's alright," Shamal shrugged. "Mediocre."

"It tastes like crap," was Reborn's verdict.

Tsuna sweat-dropped. "W-Which one of you is telling the truth...?"

Just as Tsuna was about to drink from his cup, there was a loud banging noise on the door. "HIII!" Tsuna yelped. He had splashed the hot tea over his mouth and chin in surprise.

"I heard that!" boomed a voice from outside. "Open up! This is the Varia Patrol! We know you're in there!"

"Shit!" hissed Gokudera. He quickly set the cup down and grabbed Tsuna's arm. "Juudaime, those are the guys who were chasing me! We need to hide!"

"O-Okay!" Tsuna quickly set his cup back down on the tray and grabbed Reborn. "I-Into the kitchen! There aren't any windows in there!"

"Right!" they quickly fled into Shamal's tiny kitchen, a space barely larger than a 4-by-4 cubicle, and hid under a rectangular table with a red tablecloth that had been squeezed in to the corner. There was barely enough room for all of them. Tsuna hoped that Shamal wasn't as smooth with lies as he was with women (in other words, he hoped that Shamal was a bloody good liar).

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Shamal yelled irately, sounding as if he had just gotten out of bed. There were footsteps, then the sound of the front door being flung open. "You jerks woke me from my nap!"

"We're the Varia Patrol. We - "

"I heard you the first time. What do you want?"

The spokesman for the Varia sounded furious. "What we want is Gokudera Hayato."

Next to Tsuna, Gokudera flinched. Tsuna patted his arm comfortingly. "It'll be okay," he whispered. Gokudera nodded. His face was turning blue from the nerves.

"Sorry, I can't help you there. If you want a woman, I can help, but I won't say anything for your personal tastes..."

"That's not what we meant!" yelled the Varia spokesman, now sounding highly flustered. Despite the situation, Tsuna found himself disbelieving. _How can he crack sexual innuendo jokes at a time like this?_ Gokudera looked noticeably blue for a different reason now; now he looked like he was about to be sick.

"Well then, what?" Tsuna could practically see Shamal shrugging. "Sadly, I'm home alone. Go ahead. Search my infirmary. Go on."

"Fine! We will!" there was a loud clattering of boots thumping over the floorboards and Tsuna gave a small whimper. Now it was his turn to be consoled. Gokudera gripped his arm encouragingly. Reborn, however, cursed.

"Bad move, Shamal," he muttered.

"Eh? W-What do you mean, Reborn..."

"Oh, so you were home alone, eh?" came a sneer. "Then why do you have so many teacups out? My my... and the tea is fresh off the stove too!"

Tsuna blanched. Ohhh, so that's what Reborn meant. Gokudera shifted his free hand towards his cigarettes and lighter, so that he could light up his dynamites if need be. Tsuna quickly slapped his hands down as quietly as he could and frantically shook his head. If they smelled the tobacco smoke, the Varia grunts would find them right away. If Shamal could just come up with a good lie...

"What, don't you know?" came Shamal's voice filled with bravado. "A good doctor always has hot tea out for his patients. Feel free to take a cup if you want."

Tsuna breathed out a sigh of relief. There was a soft clatter; it sounded like one or two of the Varia had decided to take a drink. Then there was a loud crashing noise. "Idiots! Don't drink it! It might be poisoned!"

"Hey! You broke my cup!" yelled Shamal. "Clean that up!"

"Don't order us around!" barked another voice. "Hey! The newbie recruit over there! Clean it up!"

"Yes sir," rang a clear, young voice. The hand around Tsuna's arm suddenly tightened, making him wince. "Ouch! That hurts!" he whispered, wincing. When the hand didn't loosen, he turned to his companion. "I said it hurts! Gokudera-ku... Gokudera-kun? Are you all right?"

The bomber's entire face had gone an unpleasant shade of white. "Fuck," he muttered. "Fuck no, it can't be..."

"Gokudera-kun?"

"Mr. Doctor, where's the mop?" the same young voice asked.

"It's in the kitchen," Shamal said, sounding bored. Only Tsuna noticed a faint hesitation in his voice. For good reason too!

"Thanks," and the footsteps came closer and closer to where Tsuna and the rest were hiding. There was a soft clanking noise as the recruit seemed to have difficulty getting the mop. "Why did he put the mop back here...? Hm? What's this?"

Tsuna frowned and strained his ears. By the rustling of clothes, it sounded like the recruit had bent over to pick something up. Unseen by the three under the tablecloth, the recruit had just picked up one of Gokudera's mini-dynamites. It had dropped out of one of the silver-haired's many pockets. "Huh? Isn't this..." a moment of silence, then the tablecloth was suddenly yanked up. Tsuna found himself face-to-face with a handsome youth, not much older than himself, with tanned skin, short black hair, and inquisitive brown eyes. His eyes were not on Tsuna, however; they were directed at the companion next to him, whose eyes widened.

"Y-Yamamoto!"

"Gokudera! It is you!" the boy called Yamamoto said in surprise. "Haha, what are you doing under the table? And is this one of your fireworks? What happened to your hands?"

Gokudera's face now turned an ashen gray before he lost himself completely and yelled at the top of his lungs. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH THE VARIA, YOU BASEBALL IDIOT?"

"Huh? I'm here looking for the terrorist bomber. I heard that he was hidden in Arashi and I got worried about you so I volunteered!" Yamamoto said happily with a refreshing grin. Tsuna noted that he was dressed differently from the rest of the Varia grunts he had seen; the same long black jacket, but it was unbuttoned and he wore a casual t-shirt and jeans underneath. A bamboo sword was slung across his back. "Hm? Who are these two?"

"Yamamoto, you idiot!"

"Aww, come on, even though I - " Yamamoto was suddenly thrust aside in to the wall as another Varia grunt, this one rather greasy-looking with a cruel look in his eye.

"Well well well, what do we have here," the grunt grinned and shouted to his companions. "The Smokin' Bomb is here! Grab him!"

There was a confused clamor as all six of the Varia Patrol tried to squeeze in to the tiny kitchen. In the confusion, the one called Yamamoto jumped out in front of Gokudera, arms flung out wide in a sign of protection. "Wait Captain! This guy is my friend! He's not the terrorist bomber!" he held out the mini-bomb he had found. "Look! It's a firework!"

"It's a bomb, you fool!" roared the Captain. He snatched it from Yamamoto and lit the fuse. Then he flung it at the wall where it exploded and opened quite a nice hole. "You see!"

"Wha - " Yamamoto stared at the hole in the wall then turned slowly to Gokudera. "I-Is that true? You're the terrorist?" his eyes were confused and hurt, like a kicked dog. "You bombed my dad's sushi restaurant?"

"What?" Gokudera said, astonished by the turn of events. "I never bombed Takesushi!"

"Don't listen to him, recruit!" yelled the Captain gleefully. "That's what they all say!"

"... I thought you were my friend," Yamamoto reached for his bamboo stick. To Tsuna's horror, it suddenly became a full-fledged _katana_ in his hands. "Guess I was wrong. Sorry!"

"Wait! Yamamoto!" yelled Gokudera, throwing up his arms, one to shield himself and the other to shield Tsuna. Unbeknownst by all, Reborn's slipped a hand under his suit and wrapped his tiny fingers around a real gun...

Then all at once, all members of the Varia Patrol collapsed. "What the..." muttered the Captain. "I-I-I'm fr-fr-fr-freezing!"

"I'm burning up!" yelped another voice.

"My stomach is turning," groaned a third.

Yamamoto was leaning on his sword, which had turned back in to a bamboo blade, and panting heavily. "Ugh... so blurry..."

Tsuna caught sight of a mosquito lifting itself off of Yamamoto's neck and back towards the doorway, where Shamal stood. "Go through the hole in the wall!" he hissed. "Quickly! I'll keep them here!"

"Let's move!" Reborn said, already bouncing over the writhing bodies. "Now!"

"R-Right," Tsuna quickly crawled out from the table. "Let's go, Gokudera-kun!" he paused as he realized that his companion was not following him. "Gokudera-kun?"

Gokudera was frozen where he sat, still staring at the young swordsman as if he were an illusion that would fade away... or maybe that was what he was hoping.

"HAYATO!" roared Shamal at the top of his voice. "You can't wait around forever! Go!"

"R-Right," he mumbled. Gokudera quickly crawled out from the table and gave Tsuna a lift. "Here, Juudaime..."

"Thank you," Tsuna said, scrambling through the hole. Gokudera cast one last look at Yamamoto and then boosted himself out, then he was gone.

Shamal sighed. "Right then," he muttered. "I'll throw these guys out in to the town square then give them the antidote," he reached for the lightest one, Yamamoto first, and hoisted him over his shoulder. "Hey, Yamamoto, why did you join the Varia?"

"House... and shop... got bombed..." panted Yamamoto. "Oyaji... injured... can't... for... give..." the words faded as Yamamoto went limp and lost consciousness. Shamal sighed.

"Dear me," he muttered. "You've got your work cut out for you, Vongola Decimo."

* * *

><p><strong>Trident Shamal:<strong> An infamous man who used to be a hitman/bodyguard/doctor for the Arashi Royal Family. He loves the ladies and puts advances on them, whether they like it or not. He taught Gokudera how to use dynamites when he was young, but after Gokudera almost unknowingly killed himself through a run-in with the Varia, he stopped tutoring him. Their relationship has been rather rocky since. Shamal controls the Trident Mosquitoes which carry rare diseases. He is formidable as an opponent and a reliable ally, but lately he's lost his drive and now lazes about chasing skirts. He used to live in Arcobaleno, and apparently used to know Reborn...?

**Varia Patrol:** Each region of Oozora (except Sora) is under the watch of individual Varia Patrols. The Varia Patrol is a squad of 6 members who have the authority to burst in to other people's homes to search for outlaws. However, since most of the Varia Patrols consist of level C soldiers, it is possible to escape from them (proven by Gokudera Hayato). Recently, to make up for the incompetence, the current ruler of _Ame_ sent his apprentice to assist them...

**Katakana:** The separate Japanese writing system used for foreign words.


	16. The Sage of Storm, Fon

**forgottentears6: **I giggle at the mention of Fon too, it's totally normal. XD Cozart deserves all full-hearted sympathy. He's such a sweetie. And I shall cheer when Adult!Fon and Hibari fight back to back. 8DDDDD You know it's gonna happen.

**cael05****:** LOL, I was hoping to make a plot twist to catch everyone's interest. Glad you liked it!

**TheParadoxicalOtaku:** Yaaaay, thanks~ I wanted something different from meeting up like normal and becoming all buddy-buddy. *Gratefully accepts cookies; it's been a long week*

**Drunk:** This is the guy who thought the younger Tsuna and Gokudera were demons. I can more than see it, I can write about it. XD And yes, the time difference makes such a huge difference in age and appearance. Which is why many people do not recognize Tsuna at first.

**hokkyokusei:** Yamamoto _did_ think the dynamite were fireworks. Which pissed Gokudera off majorly in the manga. XD At least Gokudera isn't blind in his adoration. The battle with Shitt P. proved that.

**Chocolate and caramel:** Isn't it Takesushi? And no, it wasn't Squalo which blew up the sushi shop. It was... somebody else... And no, Belphegor isn't Gokudera's cousin. They're not remotely related. Belphegor was the prince of a different city (not Kamikaze), but then after he destroyed it he came to Kamikaze with the Varia to conquer. Colonello was not supposed to be part of the 7, remember? He interfered. And not quite, you're forgetting one character who is also Fon's apprentice. And of course Chrome will be here! Like you, I am a 1896 shipper. I'm not sure if I want 1896 in this story though... I'm very Hibari-uke biased. By the way, do you go on the livejournal, {clouded mist}?

**Koruyuha:** That's a very good question. Rather than saying immortality for Giotto and Cozart, it's more like godhood; immortality and invincibility in one. When they are injured, their wounds instantly regenerate. On the other hand, the Guardians are injured normally and heal at a normal rate. They can also fall sick like normal people, but the Guardians cannot die, at least not that I know of, so yes, they could be considered immortal since they don't die. They can get hurt though.

**LovedByMostButRejectedByAll:** Thanks~ Please continue reviewing and reading~

**Unknown Variable:** (1) Well, yes it's Hibari. We're talking about biting, are we not? (a) Oops, I meant to say "picked them with a lockpick." Where did the 'pick' part go? Whoops. (c) Er... No, Tsuna is not a rare hybrid with wings. He is a pureblood Tenshi. (e,f,g) LOL, your going back and forth is hilarious. I have to ask, do you review as you read? (i) Yeah, his dad is still alive, just seriously injured. One cannot survive a bomb explosion unless well guarded. The owner of a sushi restaurant is often not well guarded.

**Ic3Yuki:** Well, Yamamoto was in the last chapter, so yep he's there. By the way, for some reason I love your penname.

**Ducks R Evil:** Not quite 6927. There's no specific pairings which actually get together. Think of it as one of those irritating shounen-ais with an actual plot. XD Like Undertaker Riddle. God, that is a good manga.

**Fire the Faith:** There's mysteries, mysteries and more mysteries to come! LOL. And the grunts of Varia all are lacking quality, or have we forgotten how they got overthrown by a middle schooler? True, it was Hibari. But still.

**Taira-keimei:** LOL, no rush, no pressure. It's okay. Even if your life is busy and hard, I'll keep updating to make you smile :)

Yaaaay~ I made 121 reviews! Not bad for... *counts* 15 chapters!

On a side note, for all shounen-ai lovers, I recommend reading _Undertaker Riddle_. It's probably the sweetest guy-love story I've ever read that does not actually have any official pairings (as in no kissing). Best of all, it has a fully-functional plot. Wheeee~!

Ahhh, there's a bit of Yamamoto's misfortune in here. I've warned you, so don't get angry! Meep~

* * *

><p>"I-I think... we've run far enough," Tsuna panted. Nearly slipping in a shallow puddle of rainwater, he skidded to a halt and bent over, hands on his knees, trying to regulate his intake of air. The shadows of the surrounding buildings loomed over him, one of a gate making stripes on his face.<p>

"Tch, done already, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn said. Nevertheless, he also came to a halt and turned to face Gokudera. "Hey. Where are some good hiding spots around here?" Gokudera didn't reply. "Oi!"

"Huh?" Gokudera blinked. "Oh... um... I'm not that familiar with this part of town..."

"Useless," Reborn deemed and turned around again to take in his surroundings. Tsuna, who had started coughing badly, caught his attention. "Dame-Tsuna, breath in through your nose. It isn't that hard."

"Can't..." Tsuna gasped out. "Can't breathe..." he collapsed, face-down, on to the road.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera gasped. He rushed to the brunette's side and flipped him over. Tsuna's face was turning paler and paler as he struggled for air.

"Damn," Reborn cursed. "I forgot. The air is thinner up here compared to Terra. Looks like we've pushed him too hard."

Gokudera lifted Tsuna and struggled to get the smaller boy on his back. "What should we do, Reborn-san?"

"Let's find a place to settle down for a bit," Reborn said. "Your place is out of the question, and we can't go back to Shamal's either. But maybe we can find a hotel or something where we can rest for a while."

"There's a secluded park not too far away from here. Maybe we can hide out their for a bit."

"That sounds good. Which way?"

"I think it's this way."

"Good. Let's go."

Gokudera and Reborn started off at a quick pace, hoping to put more distance between them and their possible pursuers. From the shadows, a small figure crept out from behind a crate and watched them go. Eyes shining in childish curiosity, the figure decided to follow them from above. Within three jumps from windowsill to windowsill, the figure was on the rooftop, leaping over gaps and ledges, Chinese clothes fluttering in the breeze and ponytail swaying...

* * *

><p>"Worthless little RUNT!" roared the Varia Patrol's Captain. He raised a hand and slapped Yamamoto hard across the face, sending the boy - still weak from the illness - flying through the air and into a nearby fountain. Yamamoto managed to climb out, sputtering and spitting water. "Worthless, Yamamoto Takeshi!"<p>

"C-Captain, that's Squalo-sama's apprentice..." one of the men tried to pacify him, but the Captain, fresh from humiliation and disease, shook him off.

"Doesn't matter! It's this guy's fault they got away!"

"B-but sir! It was Trident Shamal. And Yamamoto was in the process of stopping them..."

"You dare talk back to me?" Captain roared, spit flying. "If I say that it is his fault then it is his fault!"

"Haha..." Yamamoto laughed and smiled weakly. "Aren't you going a little overboard, sir? I'm sorry I let them get away..."

"Damn right you're sorry!" Captain screamed at him. "If I get demoted, it's your fault!"

"Sorry, sorry," Yamamoto said. "I'll take a punishment, sempai, if it makes you feel better."

"Oh? A punishment?" Captain narrowed his eyes, a wicked little thought creeping in to his mind. "Any punishment?"

"Yes sir. I'll take responsibility for my actions," Yamamoto said. Captain strode towards him, a deceptively thoughtful look on his face.

"You like baseball, Yamamoto Takeshi?" Captain said kindly. To his sinister glee, Yamamoto's eyes brightened.

"Yes sir! I'd love to go to Koshien again!"

"Again, huh? You must be a very athletic young man. Do you bat right-handed or left-handed?"

"Right-handed, sir."

"I see," Captain, reached out and touched Yamamoto's arm, examining the muscle and squeezing it. "Hmm. Not bad, not bad at all."

"Haha! Thanks! Uh... sir? That hurts a bit... Could you let go?"

"Let me look for a little while longer," Captain said craftily. He shifted his leg on to the rim of the fountain so that he was holding Yamamoto's arm in both hands over his knee. "So you value baseball? As much as your life?"

"Yep!" Yamamoto said. "Kendo is fun too, though."

"I see," the Captain said again, and with a truly evil smile, he slammed Yamamoto's arm across his knee with all his strength. There was a sickening crack sound and Yamamoto yelled in pain. He fell back in to the fountain, cradling his now broken arm.

"See if you can play with that injury!" Captain roared with laughter and walked away, leaving behind a despairing Yamamoto and his broken dreams.

* * *

><p>"Someone's following us," Reborn muttered quietly out of the corner of his mouth. Gokudera's eyes widened momentarily before quickly putting on a poker face.<p>

"What should we do then, Reborn-san?"

"Let's go this way," Reborn said, taking a sudden right, just as a stray cloud moved over the sun. Gokudera hurried to follow. Up above on the rooftops, the figure hurried to follow as well. Making a particularly large and difficult leap from a shorter building to a taller one - just as Reborn had calculated - the figure stopped to check its targets' positions only to give a little cry in shock. They were gone!

Hopping down using the fire escape, the figure ran to the place where they disappeared and looked around frantically. What it didn't see was Gokudera creeping up from behind, hands upraised.

"AIYA!" shrieked the figure as it was grabbed from behind. Reborn jumped out from behind a trashcan and pointed his Leon-gun at whoever was following them.

"Who are you?" Reborn said, his voice dangerous. Gokudera had to grab the squirming figure in both hands to prevent it from escaping. The cloud from the sun floated away and dim light shone down to reveal a small boy in Chinese clothes.

"Y-You're..." Gokudera whirled the little boy around. He had a giant head and a tiny body, much like Reborn, and barely any hair. What hair he did have was tied up in a tight ponytail which stood straight up on his head. "Huh? No you're not!"

The boy cut loose in a high pitch squeal of Chinese. Reborn lowered his gun and translated. "'My Oshou-sama told me to follow you. Let I-Pin go!' is what she said."

"Oshou-sama?" Gokudera glared suspiciously at I-Pin. "What Oshou-sama? Is he from the Varia... GAH!" Gokudera flung himself backwards voluntarily as a heavy garlic scent overwhelmed him. I-Pin, who seemed to be the source, yelled out agan angrily.

"'Don't compare my Oshou-sama to those bad men! Oshou-sama is very kind! He said that he would offer you refuge!' is what she said," Reborn translated again. This time Leon turned back in to a chameleon and weakly crawled back up to Reborn's hat. The little green reptile looked more sickly yellow now.

"Refuge? Really?" Gokudera frowned. "How do we know it's not a trap?"

I-Pin said something in Chinese again. Reborn quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "It's alright. We can trust her. Her master is someone we know."

"He is?" Gokudera said in bewilderment. "And I-Pin's a girl?"

"She is," Reborn said. "Lead the way, I-Pin. But go slowly. We have someone injured.

I-Pin nodded and set off at a reasonable pace. Gokudera quickly picked up Tsuna from where he had hidden him - inside a trashcan no less - and followed. Reborn tagged along behind them, looking rather pleased with himself.

* * *

><p>Yamamoto stared at his bandaged arm with a scowl, a rare expression for such a cheerful teen. He tried to move it and winced; movement was impossible. It hurt too much.<p>

He sat back on his bed and sighed. The room he was staying in was clean, painted with a red color scheme, and nicely furnished with the bare necessities... but he missed the messiness of his own room at home. Then with a pang of sadness, he realized that his room didn't even exist anymore. It had gotten bombed by Gokudera.

_Gokudera_. The mere thought of the silver-haired bomber made his hackles raise. Yamamoto had known Gokudera for a long time. Ever since they had met almost eight years ago at Oozora Palace when his uncle Asari Ugetsu had brought him along to a party. He had found Gokudera hidden under one of the red velvet curtains and asked what he was there for. Gokudera replied that he was hiding from his sister who was trying to feed him her terrible concoctions. Yamamoto didn't understand, but he ran away to the buffet and ran back to give Gokudera a plate filled with good food: sushi, sashimi, and a bottle of milk. Gokudera accepted the plate and ate it all quickly before actually falling asleep behind the curtain. The rest of the party was filled with Yamamoto guarding the silver-haired from being woken up. Even when Hibari came by - irritated by the crowds and a certain blonde - he didn't move.

Yamamoto wondered what Hibari was doing now and if he had decided to go out with the Chiavarone Dino. The thought made him depressed. He had asked Hibari out multiple times, throughout his whole lifetime, but always got rejected with a tonfa to the face. He never gave up though; he always asked the raven-haired teen for dinner, a movie, a baseball game... and he still was rejected with a tonfa to the face. Damn Hibari and his lack of words and excess of violence.

It was what made him attractive though.

Yamamoto vaguely remembered the small brunette and baby that had been with Gokudera. The baby had a yellow pacifier around his neck, the same as the kid with a blue pacifier back in Ame. Come to think of it, Gokudera had once mentioned that there was another baby here in Arashi. He wondered where it lived. Colonello lived in seclusion in one of the rainiest, most inhabitable places in Ame. How he managed to survive there, Yamamoto didn't know.

There was a soft vibrating noise and Yamamoto hunched over to locate the cellphone under his bed. The name in katakana flashed on the screen, SQUALO.

Yamamoto sighed and braced himself. "Moshi-moshi?"

"_VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI!_" screamed a voice from the other end of the line. Yamamoto held the phone a good foot away from his ear until he was sure the voice had petered out. "YOU FUCKING IDIOT! HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN TROUBLE ON YOUR FIRST DAY?"

"Ahaha... sorry, Squalo," he apologized. "My arm got broken too..."

"I HEARD ABOUT THAT! YOU GOT IN THE WAY OF THE CAPTAIN AND HE ACCIDENTALLY BROKE YOUR ARM? WHY THE HELL WERE YOU SHIELDING THE SMOKIN' BOMB?"

"Huh? Wait, that's not what happened - "

"I DON'T WANT YOUR FRIGGIN' EXCUSES!"

"But that's really not what happened!"

"VOOOI! NO EXCUSES, BRAT! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING HOME!" the call was abruptly ended and Yamamoto let the device drop from his hand to the mattress.

"Nobody's listening to me," he mumbled unhappily. "Nobody cares either."

He flopped down on his back and stared at the velvet red ceiling and chandelier. A little, dangerous thought crept in to his mind...

"Maybe if I disappeared, no one would care..."

* * *

><p>When Tsuna woke up, he was being carried princess-style by Gokudera and in the middle of a forest. He attempted to sit up but instead ended up bumping his forehead against the bomber's chin.<p>

"OW!" they both yelled at once. Gokudera accidentally dropped him and Tsuna fell on to a patch of grass. "Hii... ow ow ow..." he whimpered.

"I'm sorry, Juudaime!" Gokudera yelped. "Are you alright? Can you walk?"

"I can," Tsuna muttered, standing up. Then he wobbled and almost fainted again. "Whoa... everything is spinning..."

A tiny voice asked him something in a foreign language that Tsuna could barely recognize but didn't understand. "Eh? Chinese?" he looked down to see a tiny child - boy? No, it was a girl - looking up at him. "Um... 你好？"

"你好！_" _she squeaked, looking pleased. "我是 I-Pin！你是谁？"

"Uh..." Tsuna knew that she had just asked 'Who are you?', but otherwise he had pretty much exhausted his knowledge on the Chinese language. Reborn came to his rescue.

"She understands Japanese. She just can't speak it well."

"Oh," he sighed in relief. "I'm Kozato Tsunayoshi. Nice to meet you," he bent down to make it easier to talk. I-Pin smiled at him and pulled out a Chinese bun from somewhere in her sleeves.

"你要吃吗？" she asked. Tsuna looked at Reborn.

"'Do you want to eat?'" he translated.

"Oh," Tsuna smiled. "Thank you!" he bent down to take the bun and took a bite. A delicious taste of pork filled his mouth and he smiled before collapsing in a heap on the ground.

"JUUDAIME!" Gokudera shrieked. "You little brat! You've poisoned him!"

"我没有！" I-Pin squeaked indignantly, then seemed to momentarily struggle. "Very good... fainted!" she said, a bit triumphantly, in broken Japanese.

"It's so good that he fainted? Bullshit!" Gokudera delicately opened one of Tsuna's eyelids and stared. "He's completely out! And his temperature is going up!"

I-Pin looked worried. Reborn blinked. "Didn't your master tell you not to give your Gyoza-ken buns to other people?"

I-Pin gave a start. Clearly it had slipped her mind. She pulled out a pouch from her neck and flipped it over. Out came... nothing. "AIYA!" she wailed. "No... cure!"

Gokudera whipped out his dynamites. "IF JUUDAIME DIES BECAUSE OF THESE DAMN BUNS, THEN I'LL BLOW YOU TO ITTY-BITTY - "

"Your master should have the cure," Reborn interrupted. "Let's go see him."

I-Pin nodded and bounded away, Reborn following closely after. "Wait! Reborn-san!" Gokudera yelled. He scooped Tsuna up in his arms again and ran, not noticing Tsuna's head hitting a tree trunk every couple steps.

* * *

><p>A small person, the same size as Reborn with a red pacifier around his neck, was sitting on the porch of a small white cottage and feeding a tiny bald-uakari with lychee nuts when his student, an old acquaintance, the Smokin' Bomb, and what appeared to be the grown-up Tenth Generation Boss of the Vongola burst through the shrubbery. The holder of the red pacifier observed all of this serenely then stood up, taking in a deep breath and exhaling before bowing.<p>

"Welcome," he said in gentle, melodious tone. His Japanese was perfect. "I see that you have fed another passerby your Gyoza buns, I-Pin."

"Oshou-sama..." I-Pin whimpered, ashamed.

"Now, now, don't fret," I-Pin's master hopped off the porch and approached them. "I have some more antidote and with some rest and good food, the Vongola Decimo will be fine," he inclined his head to Reborn. "Long time no see."

"You too," Reborn replied, tilting his hat. "Fon."

"You as well, Gokudera Hayato," the previous Sage of Storm said to the silver-haired teen.

"Fon!" Gokudera held out Tsuna's prone body. "Help Juudaime, please!"

"Certainly," Fon examined Tsuna, took in the leaves in his bushy brown hair, and then chuckled. "You have been careless again, Gokudera Hayato. Because of you, his condition is worse"

"What? How am I careless? I carried Juudaime like a baby through the town and the forest!"

"Well, perhaps, but..." Fon pointed at the comical fountain of blood pouring out of Tsuna's head. "Would you crash a baby's head multiple times in to tree trunks?"

"Eh?" Gokudera looked down and for the first time saw the red liquid pouring down his beloved Boss's face. "J-JUUUUUUUDAIMEEEEEEEEEE!"

Fon chuckled quietly. Reborn couldn't help but laugh along. "You're as mean as always."

"Not as much as you," Fon replied, then motioned for the distraught Gokudera to follow him. "Come along. Let's get him inside so that he can rest."

* * *

><p>When Tsuna awoke for the second time, he was staring at a tidy white ceiling. As he slowly sat up - he was still quite dizzy - he took in the surroundings; he was lying in a bed with a handmade red and pink quilt. The bed itself also looked handmade; it was carved out of cherry wood and the mattress was stuffed with assorted feathers. He could see the different colors through the white sheet.<p>

The room itself was also very tidy and neat. Almost... peaceful somehow. Tsuna had heard of a Chinese thing called 'zen'. Could this be a 'zen' bedroom? It was sparsely furnished with more handmade furniture, but the contrast of the dark cherry wood and the lighter wood which Tsuna recognized as birch calmed him somehow. In a rocking chair at the foot of the bed, Gokudera was fast asleep. Tsuna quietly slid out from beneath the covers and onto the hardwood floor. He flinched as his whole head seemed to suddenly give off a spasm. He reached up to touch his forehead and realized that his head had been well bandaged.

There was a door, a bit short for Gokudera but no problem for the Terra Prince. Tsuna shut the door behind him as silently as he could and stared at the new room, a kitchen/living room. Again, it was sparse, but it was comfortable. An old-looking stove made out of a sandy-colored material - whether it was clouds or clay, he couldn't tell - had a fire lit inside and gave off a pleasant warmth. There were no electronic objects. Instead, for lighting, there were candles and a fireplace built from the same material as the stove. Sitting on the handwoven rug in front of the fireplace, dozing, were I-Pin and Reborn. Tsuna tiptoed past them and arrived at the door which led to the outside.

A small baby was sitting on the porch, a white monkey with a red tummy and face next to him. The baby seemed to be meditating. The monkey was cracking open the nut and munching on it. Everything was so tranquil that Tsuna couldn't help but stay quiet himself. Outside was dark, darker than he had ever seen it. He stepped off the porch and looked up to the uncovered sky and gasped.

Twinkling down at him from above were millions of shining stars, lighting the darkness in which they were embedded. They spread as far as the eye could see, in all four directions. "Beautiful..." Tsuna was barely able to form the word.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?" came a voice from behind. Fon stood there, a gentle smile on his face. In a single hop, he seated himself on Tsuna's shoulder and pointed upwards with his tiny hands. "The stars form patterns in Yomosugara called constellations. They are like connect the dots," he traced an image along the sky. "That is Taurus the bull. When Terra could still see the stars, they classified twelve constellations as astrological signs. The astrological signs are..."

Tsuna listened to the baby's chatter. He seemed to be a very mellow and benevolent person. "... What were you born as?"

"Eh?" Tsuna snapped back in to focus. "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't listening..."

"Oh," Fon pointed up at Taurus again. "Like I said, my youngest is a Taurus. He's hard-headed and stubborn, just like a bull," Fon smiled at Tsuna. "When is your birthday?"

"Oh. Umm... It's the fourteenth of October..."

"Are you sure?" Fon asked, his voice suddenly becoming a little intense. Tsuna blinked.

"Yes. Cozart-ojiisama told me."

"Ah, I see," Fon smiled again, his calm demeanor returning. He took another deep breath. "If it is Cozart, then it must be accurate."

"Eh?"

"Hmmm, the fourteenth of October..." Fon said thoughtfully, then his expression brightened. "You are a Libra!"

"... Is that a good thing?"

"Yes, very much so," Fon chuckled. "Libras are the sign of balance and justice. They are known for their fairness and civility. It is a good sign for a future leader," he smiled.

"Ehh, I-I'm not the next King though... Enma is..."

"... I see," Fon covered his mouth with his sleeve and murmured, "Poor child. You've really forgotten everything..."

"Did you say something?"

"I said nothing," was the immediate reply. Fon hopped off of Tsuna shoulders and stood before him before bowing. "I have yet to introduce myself. My name is Fon. It is a pleasure to meet you, Kozato Tsunayoshi."

"O-Oh! Um, same here!" Tsuna bowed quickly. "Thank you for your hospitality!"

"Ah, yes. How does your head feel?"

"Hm? It feels fine. But I don't remember why it was bleeding..."

"Fufufu... I would tell you but I think the Smokin' Bomb would be angry at me. I shall keep my silence for now," Fon laughed softly. Tsuna looked confused. Then his stomach rumbled and his face turned pink. "Ah, are you hungry?"

"A little," Tsuna said sheepishly. "I don't think I've eaten anything for... well, a couple days in Terra's time but it feels so different up here..."

"Yes..." Fon gave a sad, mysterious little smile. "Between Terra and Oozora, time has caused many conflicts... and it is the reason why no one will recognize you now..."

"Eh?"

"It is nothing," Fon gave a single jump and landed back on his porch. "Why not join me for dinner? I can make some tasty Chinese cuisine for you, and I-Pin is a wonderful cook."

"Sure!" Tsuna's eyes lit up. "Just... no more of those pork buns please."

"Of course," Fon swept in to his little cottage and motioned for Tsuna to follow. Tsuna stared a bit more at the stars, at Yomosugara, and saw a silvery orb hanging in the sky which must have been the moon.

"Yomo... sugara..." Tsuna murmured. "I would like to go there at least once..."

_It seems to be such a beautiful place..._

* * *

><p>Only after a short while, all five were gathered around a low Japanese table laden with delicious Chinese food. Tsuna was eating some of I-Pin's fried rice when Fon pushed a blue china dish at him. It was filled with some white, jiggly pieces covered with red sauce, along with black pepper, scallions, and pork. "What's this?"<p>

"Mapo tofu," Fon said fondly. "It is supposed to be very spicy, but since I am a baby I need to soften the flavor."

Tsuna tried it. Chewing the tofu was a new experience and it felt strange in his mouth. But the taste was wonderful; mildly spicy with a a hint of sweetness, and he passed his bowl for more. Reborn and Fon were easily chattering about trivial matters while Gokudera and I-Pin tried to converse without much success. Still, they were much more friendly to each other compared to earlier in the day. Tsuna thought about Enma and Cozart. How long ago had it been since they had sat around a table together to eat? Sometimes when the other Knights were around, especially Adelheid, they would all sit down after dinner and talk for hours. A stray tear welled up in his eye and ran down his cheek.

"Juudaime?" Gokudera asked, a little concerned. "Is the tofu too spicy?"

"No, that's not it. I..." Tsuna took a shaky breath. "May I be excused? I feel a little... homesick."

Reborn gave him a searching glance. "... Go outside and take in some fresh air to clear your head," was his advice.

"Look at the stars too," Fon interjected. "They're calming for the mind and the soul."

Tsuna left and after a short mental debate, Gokudera followed him. I-Pin looked in between the food and her new friends, then ultimately decided her friends were more important and also left, leaving the two ex-Sages alone.

"Now we may talk," Fon said, reaching to pour himself a cup of milk tea. "I can tell you have questions, Reborn."

"Are all the rest of the Sages like you?" Reborn asked.

Fon took a deep inhale and exhaled heavily. "If you mean I will not attack you on sight, then no, they are not like me. If you mean we are now living far away from Tenshi civilization as hermits, then yes."

"I can understand why Fuuta said this place would be best," mused Reborn. "For me as well, this is the best order."

"What order would that be?"

"Arashi, Ame, Kaminari, Hareta, Kumo, Kiri."

"Ahh," Fon chuckled deeply. "I understand as well. I am - and pardon me for the lack of modesty - the calmest of the Sages, and the most rational besides Luce. Lal Mirch will probably punch you when she sees you, but she will listen. Verde... he will not be the easiest to convince, but if it is for the sake of his science then he can be manipulated. Passing over Hareta, Skull has gotten much more stubborn over the years, especially with you gone. He definitely won't listen to you at first. And of course, Viper will be the hardest to convince because he still believes everything is your fault."

Reborn contemplated his old comrades before glancing at Fon. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you blame me?"

Fon pondered on the question before setting down his cup. "Yes and no. Yes, because I think you were foolish to trust that person's words. No, because I know you did it for the sake of Luce, as well as the rest of us. And before you ask, yes I will lend you my power to rebuild Arcobaleno. I do miss my old home."

Reborn smiled and scooped more rice in to his bowl. "Thank you, Fon."

"My pleasure," smiled the Sage of Storm.

"..." Reborn stared at his chopsticks before finally asking, "Any word on Colonello?"

"... Yes," Fon admitted. "It seems that he was living in Hareta for a brief while before moving back to Ame."

"What was he doing in Hareta?"

"Waiting for you," was the reply. "He wanted to know what in Oozora's name were you thinking, listening to that man. But when you never returned, he went home to continue his training. I haven't seen him since."

Reborn sipped at his tea thoughtfully. Fon gave him a sideways glance and said as casually as he could, "You know..."

"Hm?"

"It seems that they've switched."

"What?"

"Lal Mirch and Colonello. They switched. Colonello is now the Sage of Rain."

Reborn made a strange choking sound and Fon thumped him on the back. "He WHAT?"

"I don't know how he did it either," Fon shrugged. "It seems that he found that man's underling, Tsunomichi, and asked if he could have the Sage title instead of Lal. I've never seen her so furious before when she became a full-blown Tenshi. She's quite lovely as a grown-up by the way."

"I don't really care about that," Reborn frowned. "I know that Colonello was crazy for Lal, but I didn't think he'd go that far."

"Love knows no bounds," Fon said wisely.

"Says the man with two sons and no wife."

"There was never a woman to start with."

"Never?"

"I am not like you with a past of four lovers."

"Touche," Reborn stood up to stretch. "Let's call them back in. We're leaving in the morning."

"I apologize for having only one bed. And it's I-Pin's. I sleep in front of the fireplace."

"You never change, do you?"

"How so?"

"You sleep in the weirdest places. Remember that time you fell out of the maple tree?"

"Are you going to call them in or not?"

Reborn snickered and backed off reluctantly. Fon, slightly miffed, sipped his tea with great dignity.

* * *

><p>"Thank you so much!" Tsuna bowed towards Fon. Dressed in a fresh pair of white jeans and black t-shirt with a grey vest, Tsuna now shouldered a backpack filled with spare clothes and some snacks. Fon had found the clothes somewhere, both his and Gokudera's size, and packed it within an orange backpack for them to carry. Gokudera, wearing a green jacket with a red shirt underneath and black slacks, nodded his appreciation.<p>

"I would have packed in some boxes for you as well, Gokudera Hayato," Fon apologized, "but I don't use them as frequently as some others do."

"That's fine," Gokudera cracked his knuckles. "I'll get my Sistema C.A.I. from that damn faker of a prince."

"Boxes?" Tsuna asked curiously. "What are those?"

"We'll explain on the way," Reborn assured him. He tipped his hat. "See you, Fon."

"Oh, and tell I-Pin we're sorry that we left while she's sleeping," added Tsuna. I-Pin, who had been exhausted by the events yesterday, had not yet awoken from her slumber. Fon chuckled.

"Oh, she may be a bit sad, but if you promise to visit again, she'll perk up in no time."

"We'll do that," Tsuna grinned. "Well... let's go!"

As the three trooped off, Fon called out to Tsuna one last time. "Kozato Tsunayoshi."

"Yes?" Tsuna stopped and turned around. Gokudera was about to do the same but was urged to move ahead by Reborn.

"If you see either of my sons, _do_ tell them to visit their father, will you? It does get lonely being a hermit from time to time, even with I-Pin here."

"Oh, sure!" Tsuna said obliviously. It wasn't until he, Reborn, and Gokudera were at the very edge of Kamikaze before he suddenly stopped in his tracks and screamed, "FON HAS CHILDREN?"

"Oh yes, two sons. They're both from Kumo originally because that's the most stable place to make children."

"WHAAAAAAT?"

"R-Reborn-san, is it possible for babies to have children...?"

"Yes it is."

"But the biological studies say..."

"Screw the biological studies. This world is fictional."

"What?" asked Tsuna.

"What?" asked Gokudera.

"Oops, did I say that out loud?" Reborn whistled and skipped in to Kamikaze. "If you don't hurry up, I'll leave you behind!"

_W-Why do I just feel like he said something amazing?_

* * *

><p><strong>Yamamoto Takeshi:<strong> The apprentice to Squalo, the Vice-Commander of the Varia. Originally a baseball athlete, Yamamoto was beaten in a fight by Squalo, who was looking for fresh blood in the Varia. He asked his father to teach him kendo and learned the style _Shigure Souen Ryuu_. He later challenged Squalo again but was ultimately beaten, but Squalo liked his potential and vigor and took him in as an apprentice. Yamamoto is very cheerful and popular among his friends. He is, however, resented by some of the higher-ups in the Varia because while he is lower-ranked, he is better skilled. Yamamoto takes everything with a smile, which makes him even more infuriating. His childhood friend from birth was Hibari Kyouya, because Ame is directly below Kumo. On the other hand, since Kumo is directly below Oozora, the Bucking Horse is also a contender... **(Author's Note: Before any of you ask, yes, I am Hibari biased. Leave me alone.)**

**I-Pin:** The current apprentice of Fon. She's a five-year-old in Oozora time which technically makes her the same age as Tsuna. I-Pin is of Chinese descent and a student of Fon's Gyoza Kempo. She has a deep, childish affection for Fon and a crush on one of his sons. I-Pin is ranked third by Fuuta (who always used to play with her when she went to Oozora Palace) as the most potential assassin.


	17. The Downpour Lightens

Damn, how long as it been? Two, three weeks? Sorry for the wait, people!

**Unknown Variable:** (d) In Japan, they usually leave out the pronoun, so unless Reborn says 'she' directly, then it's easy to make mistakes in gender. This may be another reason why yaoi so is popular. (f) Like I said, I am Hibari-uke biased. Or Hibari biased in general. Just ignore it. (l) ... What, you think I'm going to tell you now?

**cael05:** Suicide Yamamoto is a must because it's a defining point in his personality, as much as I dislike it. =_= I'll be getting to Fon and his children eventually. Have some patience!

**Chocolate and caramel: **I normally never review. :P I probably should more often, huh. XD And I do want 1896... Hmmm...

**Kanojo wa Rinko:** I MISSED YOU! 8D And I warned about the Yamamoto misfortune in the previous chapter, didn't I? ... The person who will be unleashing the rage would probably be Hibari. On whom... the possibilities are endless. XD

**Drunk:** Papa!Fon will appear more as well. X3 I love breaking the fourth wall. Best ever wall-breaker would be Will Smith in my opinion.

**forgottentears6:** Ooooh, only two more days till the next chapter~ I-Pin is one of the cutest characters I've ever seen, even without her crush on Hibari.

**Taira-keimei:** Umm... is 133 okay then? I don't exactly mind the quantity of reviews so long as I know that my reviewers are frequent visitors which boosts my ego because the story is interesting enough to keep their attention. I hope I get more readers tooooo...

**TheParadoxicalOtaku:** I really want to make the way Tsuna meets all of his companions different but having some themes from the original. It's haaaaard.

**RejectedByMostButLovedByAll:** Haha, actually, Yamamoto does kind of like Gokudera, he just doesn't realize it yet. :P For now, he's blinded by his childhood affection for Hibari.

**TotalAmuto:** Of course he can; it's Reborn.

**kimiko nayla:** Ahahahaha... actually, that was a typo. I made a slight correction about it in the chapter after.

**Fire The Faith:** IT'S YAMAMOTO. Of course he'll do something stupid. There would be no plot otherwise, I swear. Hibari probably will recognize them because despite being an antisocial bastard, he is very good at observing people. I mean, he was up in a FRIGGIN' HELICOPTER and immediately could tell that there was something wrong with Tsuna's expression despite being 100 METERS AWAY. That's also why he's very good with observing animals. :P

* * *

><p>"But Reborn-san, how can a baby <em>possibly<em> - "

"You're noisy, Gokudera. Let's just say that there are other ways to have biological children without sexual reproduction."

"You mean asexual reproduction? But Fon's still a baby!"

"Like I said this world isn't - "

"I'M NOT LISTENING!" Tsuna yelled, plugging his fingers in his ears. "This conversation is too weird! Let's move on already."

"Fine," Reborn said. "Wimp..." he mumbled under his breath.

"I HEARD THAT!"

"So what should we do now, Reborn-san?" Gokudera said, still reluctant to move on from Fon's apparently strange anatomy.

"That's what I should ask you," Reborn said. He pointed a finger up towards the Arashi Castle and looked at the silver-haired. "You used to live there and the Varia invaded it. You should know the layout of the place. Tsuna and I still don't even know who we're up against. Give us some information."

"Yeah," Gokudera admitted. "Okay. The one who invaded is the Varia officer Belphegor, Varia's supposed genius."

"Prince the Ripper?" Reborn said, eyebrow raised. Tsuna gave a small squeak of fear.

"His old nickname, yup that's him."

"Who's Prince the ripper?" Tsuna asked, quaking with fear.

"Belphegor was the prince of a different province in Arashi," Reborn explained. "But when he was eight years old he killed everyone there."

"HIIIIIII! WHEN HE WAS EIGHT?"

"He was a pretty nasty guy," Gokudera wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I remember his older twin brother was an even bigger prick than him, but compared to Belphegor, he's the lesser of the two evils. The Varia invaded here about three months ago. I don't know how long that is in Terra's time, but the Varia installed their reign here pretty damn quick. I still don't know what happened to my folks either," he added stiffly, pulling out his cigarette case. "Knowing Belphegor, they're probably dead."

Tsuna's eyes grew wide. "Oh," he said. "Who else was in your family, Gokudera-kun?"

"... Just my dad, stepmom, and older half-sister," he mumbled. "No one important," he turned his face away and took a deep inhale, but Tsuna noticed his fingers minutely trembling and felt touched. Gokudera did care, whether he liked it or not. He thought of Enma at home, all alone, and sighed.

"I'm sure they're fine, Gokudera-kun," he said gently. "If your family is anything like you, then I'm sure they've survived."

Gokudera coughed gruffly and said "Thanks," in an almost-whisper.

Then Tsuna remembered Gokudera's supposed 'friend' from yesterday. "Gokudera-kun, who was that guy yesterday with the Varia?"

Gokudera's face darkened. "That was Yamamoto. He's a... childhood acquaintance, I guess. He's a Tenshi from Ame. We've known each other for a while."

Tsuna correctly interpreted 'acquaintance' as 'friend'. "I see... but why did he join the Varia?"

"How would I know?" Gokudera snapped before paling and quickly apologizing. "I'm sorry, Juudaime. I didn't mean to get angry, I just..."

"It's okay, Gokudera-kun," Tsuna assured him. "Maybe if we find Yamamoto and convince him that he's on the wrong side, then he'll fight alongside us."

"... Bastard can be stubborn as fuck," Gokudera muttered, "but okay. Thanks, Juudaime."

* * *

><p><em>Thump... thump... thump...<em>

The footsteps echoed in Yamamoto's ears as he slowly climbed up the stairs of the Varia laundromat. The gray, peeling paint of the walls reminded him of rotting skin. How would it be like, he wondered, to have his own skin rot away with the rest of him. _Not that I would know_, he reasoned. _I wouldn't be able to notice since I would be dead_.

The word 'dead' had never sounded so inviting. To sleep forever, without any worries or cares permeating his brain, seemed like a dream. Yamamoto hoped that Yomosugara had baseball games. _Could you still play as a star?_

Yamamoto arrived to the door of the roof and slowly pushed it open. A crisp wind blew on his face like an icy knife. Fresh white laundry fluttered like ghosts on the clotheslines, and they seemed to whisper, _"Join us... join us...__"_

"I will," Yamamoto said aloud. "I will. Soon."

The metal chain-link fence surrounding the edge of the roof was easy enough to climb. In fact, he didn't even need to climb. He gave a quiet sigh and from his back emerged shimmering blue wings, gigantic in size and the feathers seemed to crackle with incredible power.

Yamamoto thought about the first time he had ever met Squalo. Squalo's first interest in him had been the size of his wings. Wings larger than the body were unusual; only the First Generation of the Vongola had them. Squalo had immediately announced taking the baseball lover as an apprentice. Despite his previous protests, Yamamoto had eventually agreed on the condition that Squalo would not harm any of Ame's citizens. The teen had gotten close to the long-haired man, and now he was willing to join the Varia to protect the people important to him.

But now even Squalo didn't care about him anymore. Yamamoto shook his head and flew over the fence and landed lightly on the very edge. He looked up at the stormy sky and thought about Hibari and Gokudera.

_Sorry..._

Hibari probably wouldn't care, but Gokudera would.

* * *

><p>"Did you see the Smokin' Bomb anywhere?"<p>

"Heard that he escaped from Patrol Squad 5."

"Shit, the one Yamamoto Takeshi is on?"

"Yep. I feel bad for the guy. Heard the Squad Captain broke his arm."

"No kidding? Shame. I kinda liked the guy. At least, I would if he didn't act so big because he's a little stronger."

"Seriously. Why did Squalo-sama take such an idiot for an apprentice?"

Soft chatter echoed through the alleys behind the Varia dorms. The soldiers and recruits, tired from the long day, were heading back to their rooms before midday training. Behind two trashcans, a familiar head of spiky brown hair and another of straight silver hair slowly rose. "Are they gone?"

"I think s - Get down!" Tsuna quickly pulled Gokudera's head down as two more men rounded the corner. After they had gone, Gokudera's head popped back up.

"Wow, I didn't even hear them coming. Nice save, Juudaime."

"I didn't even realize it either," Tsuna said, peering after the two soldiers to make sure they had really gone. "I just sort of realized somebody was coming."

"Is that so?" Reborn asked with a smirk. _It seems that his Hyper Intuition is developing well with the atmosphere of danger..._

"Um, Reborn, why are you leering at me like that?" Tsuna felt a rather disturbing aura coming from the baby and inched away slowly.

"No reason in particular," Reborn replied. "It looks like it's safe to move. Let's go."

_I... I swear he was thinking something evil about me..._

"If we get some of those Varia recruit uniforms, then it might be easier to move around," Gokudera suggested. Reborn nodded at the sensible idea. "I think their laundry building is that really tall one over there. When I was a kid, I used to hide out there from my sister."

"Gokudera-kun, do you not get along well with your sister?" Tsuna asked curiously. Gokudera visibly flinched.

"I-It's not the case of getting along with her..." he mumbled, shifting his feet. Tsuna looked confused.

"Leaving the family feuds aside, let's grab some of their uniforms. Gokudera, which is the fastest way there?"

"It's this way. Follow me," Gokudera practically sprinted down the alleyway, surprising Tsuna.

"HIII! Wait! Don't leave me here!"

* * *

><p>"Shitopi!" Enma reached out to give his friend a hug only to be bounced away by the two large inflatable rubber rings encircling her body. Enma landed painfully back on his rear and rubbed his backside tenderly. "Ow, ow, ow..."<p>

"Sorry, Enma," Shitt P. said, holding out a hand to help him up. Enma took it gratefully and stood. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah. Your straightforward way of talking hasn't changed at all," Enma said with a smile.

"Where's Tsunayoshi?" Shitt P. asked. "I wanted to smoosh his face in my breasts."

"Oh, uh..." Enma sweat-dropped. "He's in Cielo. Didn't I tell you this already?" _This person REALLY hasn't changed at all..._

"No, but it's okay," Shitt P. said. "I'll smoosh his face when he comes back."

"Glad to hear that..." Enma laughed nervously. He liked Shitt P. a lot after he learned how to converse with her, but it didn't mean that he wasn't weirded out by her.

Shitt P. was an even bigger enigma ever since she became interested in Cielo's culture. She openly declared her interests by asking everyone to call her 'Shitopi-chan' instead of just 'Shitopi'. Her father, Fango P. of Palude, was often embarrassed by her behavior. Enma remembered that Shitt P. used to be picked on all the time, but her spirit remained strong. It was one of the many things that he found admirable about her.

"Enma, Enma, guess what?" Shitt P. said.

"What, Shitopi?"

"When I was flying around Palude, I found a Humano skeleton!"

"... Were you floating around a graveyard?" Enma sweat-dropped, remembering Shitt P.'s love of strange places.

"Nooo, it was at the border of Mare and Palude," she giggled. "It was funny. The leg bones are all funny."

"Leg bones?" Enma asked, eyebrow raised.

"The leg bones were half connected. It almost looked like a Tritone's tail, but Tritones don't have leg bones."

"Indeed they don't," came an amused voice from behind Shitt P. Enma looked over her shoulder and saw Byakuran standing there with a half-smile on his face. "Most Tritone skeletons have only the torso. The tail rots away since it's only pure flesh and muscle."

"Then what was it that I saw?" Shitt P. asked Byakuran. The two of them got along well because of their mutual love of weirdness (and marshmallows).

"Who knows? Perhaps an extinct species?" Byakuran, fingered his chin.

"Are there extinct types of Humanos?"

"Hmmm, not exactly," Byakuran said. "Then again, perhaps there are?"

"You're speaking in riddles again," Enma gently reprimanded him. "It gets annoying after a while, you know?"

"Many apologies, my Prince," Byakuran chuckled. "But why don't we examine the skeleton? I'm sure that we can find out one or two things from the anatomy."

"Can we get it imported here?"

"Sure. Just use a helicopter."

"Okay," Enma pulled out a red cellphone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Hello, Irie-san, could you please send a helicopter to Palude..."

* * *

><p>Gokudera, Tsuna, and Reborn were only several feet away from the Varia's laundromat when there was a rousing scream from a unseen crowd.<p>

"DON'T JUMP!"

"YOU IDIOT! IF YOU JUMP, SQUALO-SAMA WILL HAVE OUR HEADS!"

"What, is one of them committing suicide?" Gokudera muttered, searching for the source of the noise. He stuck close to the wall and peered over the corner to see a large gathering of grunts yelling at somebody on top of the laundromat. From the angle, he couldn't see who it was. "Well, whatever. It's a good distraction for us."

"Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna whispered. "That's not a good attitude!"

"I could care less about these bastards, Juudaime. Let's go and grab some uniforms. He was about to turn around and find the laundromat's back entrance, when another shout from the crowd chilled him to the bone.

"STOP, YAMAMOTO!"

"That fucker!" Gokudera hissed, jerking his head around the corner again, not caring who may see him. "He's not, is he?"

"GET BACK BEHIND THE FENCE, YOU DAMN BASEBALL DORK!"

"Shit, it _is_ him," Gokudera inwardly groaned.

"He's about to jump off?" Tsuna also put his head around the corner. "Seriously?"

Gokudera turned his neck at a very uncomfortable angle and managed to see the suicidal teen out of the corner of his eye. "Seriously. Gyaaaah, he retracted those damn giant wings of his! He's really going to jump!" he squinted. "Huh? Is his arm broken?"

"Can't you fly up there?" Tsuna hissed desperately. "Why don't _they_ fly up there?" he added, motioning towards the Varia grunts.

"Simply put, not one of them really gives a fuck if he dies," Gokudera replied venomously. "He always made them look bad since he was stronger than them. Look, all of them are practically ten years older. Older guys hate it when younger guys show them up."

"How terrible... Wait, so can't you fly up there?" Tsuna asked.

"... I can't..." Gokudera mumbled, shamefaced. "I'm... I'm kinda like my mom..."

"A rare hybrid with no wings?" Reborn put in.

"No, that's not... I mean, yeah. That's how it is," Tsuna looked curiously at the suspiciously relieved expression on the Smokin' Bomb's face.

"Then what do we do? We can't just let him jump!" Tsuna looked around desperately for a tarp or something that they could use as a cushion. "Reborn, what do we do?"

"Simple," Reborn said as Leon changed in to his ever trusty pistol. "You just need to die, then you'll be on the same wavelength."

"HIIIIIIIIIII! WAIT!"

_BANG!_

Gokudera, who had never seen the Dying Will Bullet before, gave a howl of rage and whipped out two fistfuls of dynamites before advancing on the baby. "Bastard...! You goddamn traitor, I should have known!"

"Bakadera, take a closer look. He's not dead," Reborn pointed at Tsuna, whose clothes except for the boxers suddenly burned off and had leaped up with a loud roar.

"REBOOOORN!" he yelled. "SAVE YAMAMOTO TAKESHI WITH MY DYING WILL!"

On Yamamoto's side, he had just jumped, much to the shock of the crowd, when a blur of tan skin and blue boxers hurtled towards him at the speed of light. "EHHH?" he yelped. Whoever it was grabbed him in a princess-carry and landed on the ground, unharmed. "W-What the heck?" he sputtered. "Aren't you that guy who was with Gokudera?"

"I refuse to let you die!" yelled D.W. Tsuna. "You must only die after giving it your all! And Gokudera-kun would cry if you died!" he added as the flame on his forehead went out.

"I WOULDN'T CRY!" yelled Gokudera's voice from around the corner. "I'D JUST BEAT YOU UP IN THE AFTERLIFE!"

_... Eh?_

"Does that mean if I killed myself, you would too?" yelled Yamamoto.

"..." there was a long pause. "I-Idiot! That's not what I..." the silver-haired's voice, completely embarrassed, drifted off.

Throughout the whole thing, the Varia crowd was watching with open mouths. "Who the hell is the exhibitionist?" "Was that the Smokin' Bomb?" "Uh, whoever-you-are, you can put Yamamoto down now..."

"GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!" screamed a voice from the back of the crowd. The Varia immediately halved itself in to two smaller crowds to let the Varia Patrol Squad 5's Captain through. "YAMAMOTO TAKESHI! DO YOU WANT ME TO GET INTO EVEN MORE TROUBLE?" he roared, jabbing a finger at the teen, spit flying out in sharp little bullets. "IT'S YOUR DAMN FAULT WE'RE IN THIS MESS ANYWAY!"

"C-Captain..." Yamamoto muttered, looking downcast. Tsuna gingerly propped Yamamoto on to his feet and stood back, now fully aware that he was almost naked (_again!_).

Gokudera came out from behind the corner, Reborn on his shoulder. "Isn't your fault?" he scoffed. "You're a pretty incompetent bastard, aren't you? I bet it was you who broke Yamamoto's arm, right?"

A fresh breakout of mutters came from behind the Captain, who was swelling up in fury. "I-I did no such..."

"To top it off," Gokudera cut in, "I bet you told that long-haired bastard Superbi Squalo that it was Yamamoto's own fault that he let us get away and that he got his arm broken. It's the only thing I can think of that could make this baseball idiot so depressed. Your loss because you handicapped such a strong guy."

Yamamoto, wide-eyed, stared as his friend. He hadn't realized that Gokudera knew him so well, nor that Gokudera had considered him strong.

"It's the Smokin' Bomb!" yelled the Captain in last minute desperation. "This is your chance to redeem yourself! Get him!"

Yamamoto looked at Gokudera, then looked at the Captain, and slowly pulled out a small blue box and a ring with a blue stone from his pocket. Gokudera gave a loud 'tch!' noise and quickly drew out a handful of dynamite. Tsuna squeaked and scampered towards Gokudera to hide.

Yamamoto slipped the ring on to his finger. "Sorry," he mumbled. The ring glowed briefly before flaring to life with a blue flame that seemed to ripple like water. Tsuna blinked and wondered how on earth he had done such a thing. The Captain's face relaxed and he motioned to someone behind him. One of his minions handed him the _Shigure Kintoki_ - he must have been searching for Yamamoto in his room earlier.

"Here," the Captain said, throwing the bamboo blade to the teen. "Capture them and I'll give you some credit, samurai."

Yamamoto caught the blade and it suddenly turned again in to a genuine _katana_. Tsuna yelped in surprise as the blue flame from the ring spread down to the Shigure Kintoki and engulfed the metal within its fiery embrace. "Shit!" whispered Gokudera. The silver-haired knew that the baseball lover was stronger than him. "Shit!"

"Sorry..." Yamamoto said again in a low voice. "... Captain."

"Huh?"

"_Shigure Souen Ryuu, First Form..._"

"W-Wha, Yamamoto...!"

"_Shajiku no Ame!_" Yamamoto dashed towards the Captain, the deadly sword point thrust out like a spear, ready to impale flesh. The Captain barely avoided the attack and motioned to the motionless crowd behind him.

"Get him!" he yelled, then paused as nobody moved. "I said, get him!"

"It's useless," Yamamoto said with a grin, holding up the box that he had taken out earlier, which was now open. "My _Rondine di Pioggia_ is keeping them at bay," he pointed above the Captain at a swallow, covered with Rain flames, circling around their heads like a bird of prey. "Rain flames are pretty good tranquilizers, you know?"

"You damn traitor!" hissed the Captain, now immobile.

Yamamoto laughed and gave Gokudera a thumbs-up, who reluctantly returned it with a scowl. "Thanks, whoever-you-are, for saving me," he added to Tsuna, who nodded and smiled nervously. Yamamoto turned back to the Captain, who was now on his knees, and said, "You know, you made me want to kill myself, since you broke my arm and all, but these guys over here saved me and want me to live."

"Shit..." whimpered the Captain, succumbing to sleepiness. Before he fell asleep, he saw Yamamoto between his hazed eyelids, and heard his words.

"Tell Squalo that I'm really sorry, but..."

Captain's eyes shut, Yamamoto's final declaration ringing in his ears.

"... I'm batting for these guys' side from now on..."

* * *

><p><strong>Belphegor:<strong> The current ruler of Arashi. Belphegor was the Prince of a smaller Province far away from _Kamikaze_, but on his eighth birthday, he killed all of his subjects, his parents, and his elder twin brother. His main weapons are knives and wires, which are deadly even on the stormiest days. He seems to be strangely attached to the current ruler of _Kiri_.

Captain, I feel, does not deserve a little blurb. Haha.


	18. CHRISTMAS OMAKE: Their First Christmas

Short Christmas omake. Replies to reviews will be given next official chapter. Please enjoy this Christmas Special!

(**WARNING:** Contains a small amount of shounen-ai consisting of a drunk Cozart and a tsundere Giotto)

* * *

><p>It was a beautiful early afternoon in winter. While the air was frigid, there was no snow. It was a shame, mused Giotto, who sat at his desk working. Oozora had never once experienced a snowfall. In fact, Giotto wasn't even sure where the snow came from. The first time he had ever seen the fluffy white crystals was when Cozart had bounded up Arcobaleno to show him. He even remembered the conversation.<p>

**_"So what is this supposed to be?" Giotto asked, gingerly touching the sparkling whiteness. "Whoa! It's cold! Is it ice?"_**

**_"Not quite," Cozart laughed. "It's snow! It's like ice, only it melts a lot faster, and it's nicer to touch," he guided Giotto's hand back to his fist in which he clutched a rapidly shrinking snowball. "You see? It's melting pretty quickly."_**

**_"Wow..." Giotto said. He gazed at the water dripping from Cozart's warm hand to his freshly vacuumed carpet. "Um... You're cleaning that up, right?"_**

**_"Relax. Like I said, snow is like ice. It's made of water," Cozart said carelessly. Giotto pursed his lips._**

**_"If you say so... so where does snow come from?"_**

**_"Eh? Shouldn't it come from Ame?"_**

**_"Why?"_**

**_"It's like rain, it falls from the sky..."_**

**_"EHHHH? It falls from the sky?"_**

Giotto quietly chuckled. In the end, neither of them knew where snow came from. One of their more plausible possibilities was a certain man named Jack Frost. Apparently it was a Terra thing. Giotto didn't know who this Jack Frost was, but he certainly wasn't (Tim Allen) Santa Claus.

There was a little whimpering noise on his right side and he glanced in that direction towards a sweet little cradle, made of cherry wood and lined with white lace cushions. "Dear oh dear," Giotto chuckled again. He stood from his desk and stepped softly towards the cradle, to not agitate its inhabitant. "Are you crying, Tsunayoshi?"

Infant Tsunayoshi made another little whimpering noise and raised his arms up pleadingly. Giotto gently scooped his adorable descendant from his pillows and rocked him gently. "You want to be held again? Such a spoiled little thing..." he murmured affectionately and planted a kiss on the baby's brow. Tsuna made a happy gurgling noise and fell asleep easily after hearing the gentle rhythm of his ancestor's heartbeat. Giotto sighed.

_How am I supposed to work like this? ... Oh well._

He seated himself back in his desk chair and rocked Tsuna in his arms more. He was contemplating about singing a lullaby when the mirror's glass, a bit stained from age, glowed a familiar smoky gray.

"Hello," Giotto's best friend said from the mirror.

"Moshi-moshi," Giotto replied, blue eyes glowing. "It's good to see you, Cozart."

The King of Terra chuckled, then peered at Tsuna. "Oh, is he asleep? Should I call back later?"

"It's okay, once he gets what he wants, he's a sound sleeper," Giotto said, shifting his grandson so that he was holding him in only one arm. "Is something the matter?"

"What, I can't call you if I want to?" Cozart asked, a little pouty. Giotto was about to apologize when he realized that his friend was joking. "Just kidding. I was thinking, what do you think about a Christmas party?"

"You want to throw a Christmas party?" Giotto asked in surprise. From the other side of the mirror, Cozart nodded. "That's great, but... why are you telling me? It's sad to say, but even if you invite me, I can't go."

"Oh no, I'm not exactly _throwing_ a party," Cozart said with a smile, his red eyes gleaming mischievously. "I'm making you throw one. In Cie - I mean, Sora."

"_What_?" Giotto said, nearly dropping Tsuna. He actually fumbled for a moment before recovering. "You mean a Humano/Tenshi Christmas party? I don't think anyone is going to go for that unless it's on Arcobaleno."

"Who says?" Cozart replied. "And besides, I didn't mean like a huge political party where the head of every region or province gets invited. I just thought a small, quiet party among friends is fine. Just invite who you'd like to invite and not who you _have_ to invite. I'm bringing Enma too."

"Enma-kun?" Giotto said, looking even more confused. "What for?"

"It's his first Christmas! And isn't it Tsunayoshi's first Christmas too? It's only of those super rare days when Oozora's Christmas and Terra's Christmas overlap, so it's perfect!"

"Hmmm..." Giotto muttered, slowly getting convinced. "When you put it that way, it does sound special."

"Right?" Cozart grinned. "So I'll just bring my immediate family along - by which I mean Makoto, Enma, and maybe my darling daughter-in-law if she can make the trip and handle the stress..."

"Isn't she pregnant with your second grandchild already?"

"Yep. I think it's going to be a girl. Maybe your Hyper Intuition is rubbing off on me."

Giotto laughed appreciatively at the joke and tilted his head thoughtfully. "I suppose throwing a small party won't hurt. I'll invite my Guardians. You won't invite your Knights?"

"They all prefer to have some family time during Christmas," Cozart shrugged.

"..." Giotto gave him a look. "Did you only decide to plan this because you were lonely?"

"..." Cozart smiled, his eyes closed. "Uh... you're breaking up! I'll talk to you later!" he said as the mirror faded out.

Giotto snorted and looked down at the sleeping infant in his lap. "There's one guy even more selfish than you," he said wryly. "And that guy abuses his power to much."

From the doorway of the office, G., who had been bringing in documents, sweat-dropped. _The same goes for you!_

* * *

><p>"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" cried the Guardians and Terra Royalty. They all clinked their champagne flutes together and drank. Makoto Kozato, holding his baby son Enma in his left arm, instead drank apple cider. A good father <em>does not<em> get drunk.

Iemitsu, of course, thought differently. Or more like he wasn't actually thinking at all. It wasn't long before he was sprawled out on a white and red striped loveseat which had been specially ordered for the party to make the atmosphere more festive.

Christmas carols, in both Italian and Japanese, floated through the air. Knuckle, Daemon, and Asari had gone all out with the ballroom decorations, just like Alaude - who had been given the condition that if he cooked, he wouldn't have to attend the party - had gone all out with the refreshments. Wall to wall streamers of red, green, and white hung in between the sparkling rainbow colored lights. Wreathes of holly and golden mistletoe graced every door and window. Twelve Christmas trees, all with differently colored baubles respectively, stood tall and proud at the front of the room, while the refreshment table took the back.

Alaude must have really not wanted to be in a crowd. Platters of game - geese, turkey, ham, venison, even a boar with an apple stuck in its mouth - weighed down the largest groaning mahogany table. Vegetable casserole, roasted potatoes, rich soups and stews, six different types of curries, were on the second table. The third held desserts: gingerbread, trifles, ice cream, tarts, cakes, pies, eggnog, sugar-spun winter roses... Giotto eyed the entire spread and wondered how someone so anti-social could cook so artistically. Maybe Alaude's brother helped him... oh no, that made even less sense. Alaude's little brother was worse than Alaude himself.

Tsuna was in his cradle, being fussed over by his mother, Sawada Nana, and Chiavarone Dino. Especially Chiavarone Dino, who was begging to hold Tsuna, all dignity forgotten. Giotto chuckled fondly at the sight of the the starry-eyed teen.

An arm encircled his waist from behind and Giotto turned to face Cozart, who already had slightly glazed over eyes and rosy spots on his cheeks. "Merry Christmas!" he said happily, dangling a piece of mistletoe over the blonde's head. He gave Giotto a kiss on each cheek, to which Giotto rolled his eyes and gently untangled himself from his friend's embrace. "Maybe you shouldn't drink anymore champagne," he chided Cozart gently and Cozart laughed.

"It's fine! This is a celebration!" Cozart laughed, looking happier - or crazier - than Giotto had ever seen him. He made a mental note to keep near Cozart's side at all times during this party and make sure he didn't get in to any trouble.

A gentle hand tapped his shoulder and Giotto turned around to see Makoto holding a sleeping Enma. "Could I put him with Tsunayoshi in the cradle? It'll probably be the best place for him to sleep."

"Sure," Giotto gently took Enma from Makoto, grabbed Cozart's hand, and pulled him along. Nana looked up as they approached and smiled as Cozart also gave her an enthusiastic greeting of a kiss on both cheeks. Over on the loveseat, Iemitsu gave a sudden spasm as if he had just been attacked.

"Noooo, my Nana..."

Giotto sweat-dropped. _What love..._ He gently pushed Tsunayoshi, who was also fast asleep, a little to the side to make room for the newcomer. Cozart looked down at Enma and Tsuna sleeping side by side and smiled softly, slightly more sober. "They're perfect together," he murmured. "They'll be best friends forever when they grow up."

"Seems like it," Giotto agreed as Tsuna rolled in his sleep right in to Enma so that they were cuddling together. Nana, Dino, Romario, and Cozart all when 'Awww' at the sight.

The two babies slept there for the rest of the party, even when Alaude, convinced by Knuckle, reluctantly came down and got in to a fistfight with Daemon. They slept through the time when Dino moved too far away from Romario and ended up with a pie in his face. They even slept through Lampo as he screamed at the top of his lungs as his hair caught on fire from a fallen apple crumble scented candle. One thing led to another and of course the night ended with the Guardians getting scolded by Giotto and making them promise to repair the ballroom starting tomorrow morning. Makoto left early to be with his pregnant wife, under the condition that Giotto look after Enma and Cozart because the Terra King was oblivious when totally drunk.

Giotto was sitting next to the cradle, in which both Enma and Tsuna were still asleep in. Nana had long taken Iemitsu upstairs to put him to bed. She had not come back down for quite a while and Giotto suspected hanky-panky. Cozart wandered over, his steps unbalanced, and almost fell face-first in to Giotto's crotch before - mercifully - pulling himself together. "I should probably take Enma home..." he mumbled.

"Oh no you don't," was the blonde's immediate reply. "You're staying here tonight. Even if it's only through a mirror, you're in no condition to go back. Enma can sleep with Tsunayoshi tonight."

"Can I sleep with you?"

"... Wouldn't Azzurra cry if she heard that?"

"... What are you talking about? I mean sharing a bed."

"Oh. Right," Giotto scratched his cheek a bit sheepishly. "That's fine."

"Kaaay," Cozart leaned over the cradle and bent down to give both Enma and Tsuna a kiss. "Good night," he whispered to both. The babies shifted in their sleep a little then snuggled closer together. Giotto called for two servants to carry the cradle back up to the nursery.

Giotto wrapped one arm around Cozart's shoulders to support him up the stairs. Cozart placed on hand on the wall to help. "You know..."

"Hm?"

"I think my wife would rather have me sleep with you than another woman."

"... What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Are you asleep on your feet?" Giotto laughed, a bit wryly.

"Mmm. Just saying..." Cozart muttered. Giotto barely managed to get to his bedroom before Cozart pitched forward. Luckily he landed on the bed and right away began to snore. Giotto sighed.

"Geez..." he sat down next to Cozart's limp body and patted his red hair. "You're even more like a child than when I first met you."

The thought made him go into a pensive silence.

_I'm sorry... someday, about your birth and my origin... someday I'll tell you..._

Giotto fell back so that his head was on Cozart's back and went to sleep. In the nursery, Enma and Tsuna coddled together, their tiny arms almost wrapped around each other. And up above, a star shot across the sky, ridden by a certain adorable pink creature wearing a Santa hat and beard...

* * *

><p><strong><strong>LOL at the idea of K*rby Santa.

This was just sort of thrown together in spirit of the holidays (or the product after too much fruitcake) and I wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. ^_^ Hope you all have a good holiday!


	19. Explanation of Evolution and Boxes

Holy hell. I'm starting to slow down. DO NOT WANT. On top of that, the new chapter is translated so badly that I can't tell what the hell they're saying. Is the GammaxUni pairing only a father & daughter thing? Is ByakuranxUni (even if one-sided) more canon now? Either way, pedophilia rules the day and it's driving me nuts. And Hibari. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED WITH HIBARI?

On a happier note, happy Jan. 11 2012 birthday, to both Fuuta and me!

**Luving Randomness:** I love long reviews. :) And I know I know, shounen-ai kills adventure stories but... but I can't _help_ it. T_T But I'm really happy that you like the story. Please keep reading from now on. *bows*

**forgottentears6:** I love Yamamoto and I-Pin toooooo. And Giotto... Giotto has a lot to hide for many reasons of which I cannot tell you now. ^^' Sorry. And thanks for correcting that mistake. I keep making all these mistakes because I don't really bother to edit. I should fix that. :P

**animepie:** LOL, I'm not a big fan of 8059 either, but I just couldn't... _help_ it. It used my fingers to write itself. :P The misunderstandings will be cleared up soon... I hope.

**Unknown Variable:** I've gotta say, I love the way you review while you read. It's like I'm witnessing your feelings at the moment.

**Taira-keimei:** Not true! According to the Prince himself, he killed everybody in his kingdom then left. Then he threw more knives at Fran. 170 reviews? 0_o I barely got 157. The first couple chapters only got from 2-5 reviews, and those were my best chapters in my opinion. Besides the slightly shoddy descriptions.

**cael05:** LOL, many reviewers believe it to be 8059. But whatever you believe it to be; before I knew what shounen-ai was, I just thought the men in manga like _Number_ and Touya and Yukito from _Cardcaptor Sakura_ were just being overly... friendly...

**Chocolate and caramel:** What? *goes back to reread* OMG, you're totally right. XD I so did not notice. I'm not sure if I want to write an overly humorous courtship with 1896. A subtle one maybe, but not humorous. And why Gokudera can't use his wings has to do with his heritage, but he's not exactly like his mother as he so claimed. Har har. *swells chest* Feel free to write a fanfiction off my fanfiction, LOL.

**PuroCieloFiamme:** Yes, yes he is. He's back to being the overly cheerful, optimistic, and stupidly oblivious Yamamoto Takeshi that we all know, love, and sometimes think would be better off jumping from the roof of the school (JK).

**Ducks R Evil:** *holds out hand* May I join you? *dances awkwardly off-beat*

**TheParadoxicalOtaku:** I took you up on that Christmas special idea. ;) My friends say that I have an exceptionally wry and dry sense of humor that bursts out at the most random (and occasionally inappropriate) times. Captain, as a sneak preview, will soon be booted off the Varia and forced to take to the streets, then get beaten up when the homeless discover that he is the same Captain which tossed them out on the street. HA! Take that, you hand-breaker!

**Drunk:** Not so sure about badass but Yamamoto had always been up there in my top five characters (1st is Hibari, 2nd is HDW Tsuna and Enma, 3rd and 4th are usually Yamamoto or Fon, they switch occasionally, 5th is tied between Alaude, Giotto, and Cozart).

**Aya-chan's Alice**: I'm not a huge fan of 2795 so it most likely will not happen. And you know... most people are begging me _not_ to make this shounen-ai. ^^' I promised the earlier readers that I would not make romance the biggest theme in here. But a stolen kiss here and there is something I can provide. And Kirby. Who cannot love Kirby? Little pink round ball of justice.

**SushiLoverForLife:** Tsuna and Enma were especially cute, I'm sure~

**RejectedByMostButLovedByAll:** I'm such a terrible updater! T_T Sorry!

**Miyanoai:** SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE~ I've missed you lots :)

**Kuro-chan:** Thank you very much ^_^

* * *

><p>"So your name is... Juudaime, right?"<p>

"EH? No! I'm Kozato Tsunayoshi. It's nice to meet you," Tsuna hastily bowed. Yamamoto bowed back with a cheerful grin.

"Oh. Haha! My bad! My name is Yamamoto Takeshi! I'm fourteen years old, I like to drink milk, eat sushi, and play baseball! Oh, but kendo is pretty fun too!"

"What the hell, you idiot!" Gokudera bopped him on the head. "This isn't a marriage interview!"

Yamamoto rubbed his head and laughed sheepishly. "Well, if we're gonna be friends, we have to get to know each other, right?"

"Juudaime would never be friends with a baseball freak like you!"

"Haha, that's a nice joke! By the way, why do you keep calling him 'Juudaime'?"

Tsuna watched them, slightly fascinated. "Is this what they call tsukkomi and boke?" he asked Reborn.

"Nope. This is what they call dumb and dumber," Reborn replied.

"Oh, I see."

Reborn looked up at him. _And there's dumbest right here..._

Right now, Tsuna and his friends were in the Varia laundromat. Gokudera still hadn't given up the idea of disguising themselves to hide among the enemy, despite Tsuna pointing out that they had just taken out a whole squad. "There's nothing to worry about, Juudaime!" Gokudera said enthusiastically, trying to find an extra-small size for Tsuna to wear. "I'm sure the news hasn't spread around yet!"

"Hmm, but," Yamamoto interjected, "they might not know about Tsuna - can I call you Tsuna? - but they'll recognize you right away, Gokudera. Maybe we should disguise you or something... Hey, I know! Let's dress you up like Squalo! You have the same hair color anyway!"

"LIKE HELL THAT'D WORK!" Gokudera yelled. "And besides, that freak has long hair!"

"I'm sure we can find some hair extensions..."

Tsuna sweat-dropped. "Hey, Reborn... are we going to be okay with these two?"

"Well, they're better than nothing," Reborn shrugged. Tsuna sighed, not entirely convinced.

* * *

><p>Enma grimaced. He was standing in Byakuran's personal research room, with the abnormal skeleton stretched before in all of its deceased glory on the medical table in front of him. It was disgusting, frankly, and it made him nauseous to stare at such a thing for so long. Shitt P. on the other hand was completely unperturbed, and was studying the skeleton with great fascination. "Look, look, Enma! The leg bones really are stuck together!"<p>

"Um, right," Enma said, who was trying very hard not to look. "Scholar Byakuran, your opinion...?"

"Hmmm," Byakuran said, examining the leg bones. He grasped the patella of one leg bone and lifted it up gently. The patella of the other leg bone lifted with it. "It seems like from below the femur, the legs grew together. Interesting," he shifted his hand down to the tibia where the bones were more clearly connected. "On top of that, there's only one fibula, and it's connected to both legs. Interesting indeed."

"What do you think caused it?" Shitt P. asked. Byakuran picked at the bones pensively before answering.

"Perhaps it is a state of evolution?"

"Evolution?" Enma blinked. "What do you mean by evolution?"

"Well..." Byakuran combed his long fingers through his white hair and wondered where to begin. "You do know about human evolution, do you not?"

"I've never heard of such a thing," Enma replied with a frown. "Humanos come from the earth and they have stayed the same for centuries. Since when have we evolved?"

"He said 'human' though," Shitt P. pointed out. "Not Humano."

"Ahh, forgive me," Byakuran smiled. "A slip of the tongue. Now, evolution is something which happens daily. Evolution is the development of living creatures to adapt to new situations. Looking at this skeleton, I believe it was midway through evolution before dying."

"Is evolution that painful?" Enma asked, working up his courage to approach the skeleton and look at it.

"Evolution itself is not painful. It is a long and arduous process, yes, but it is very gradual. It does not happen right away. The changes are slowly passed down from generation to generation," Byakuran lifted up one of the femurs again. "And look. The bones of this creature are much thinner than normal Humanos' bones. They are very slender... perhaps this was a woman."

"How much thinner?" Shitt P. asked. Byakuran carefully placed the femurs back on the table and walked to a very large species cabinet behind him.

"Let me see... no, this is the horn of a unicorn... a tentacle of the Kraken... oh! The powdered Nessie scales! I've been looking everywhere for those!"

Enma sweat-dropped. "Um... Scholar Byakuran?"

"Oh, sorry!" Byakuran said, his hair streaked with gray dust. "It's just that it's been so long since I've cleaned this out that I haven't realized how much stuff I have in here..."

"N-No, it's okay..." _More like, what exactly do you have in that cabinet?_

"Here we go, one Humano leg!" Byakuran pulled out a long white box and set it down on the medical table. "See here? The leg bones are much thicker and sturdier. They're not like the bones of an ape or gorilla, but they are strong like the earth itself," Byakuran set down the leg next to the skeleton so that his two charges could compare them. While they scrutinized the differences, Byakuran went back to the cabinet and pulled out another long white box. "Then again, these legs... they are very similar to the legs of Angelos."

"Huh?" Enma's head shot up. "Angelo legs and Humano legs are different?"

"Well, of course they are," Byakuran said. "Angelos' bodies are much more delicate than Humano bodies. Perhaps it is because of their environment. The air in Cielo is very thin compared to Terra, and the gravity is lighter. And of course, Angelos have their wings so their legs are somewhat underdeveloped,"he put the boxes together and drew out another leg bone, this one much thinner and lighter.

"Oh..." _Come to think of it, is that why Tsuna is so small?__ Because of the difference of gravity pressure?_

"Well, although the legs of Angelos are more delicate, it doesn't necessarily mean the Angelos are weak," Byakuran added. "To tell the truth, I believe that Angelos are much stronger than Humanos..."

"Eh?" Enma blinked. Byakuran simply smiled and put down the Angelo leg bone.

"Of course, that is just my speculation..."

* * *

><p>"Okay, the coast is clear!" Yamamoto whispered, looking this way and that for enemies. Tsuna, dressed in a Varia outfit slightly too big for him, nodded and tugged on Gokudera's hand.<p>

"Let's go, Gokudera-kun! ... Gokudera-kun?"

"I'm not. Going. Out. There," the bomber hissed from the shadows of the alley, his face downcast.

"Oh, come on!" Tsuna groaned, yanking harder at his hand. "We have to go!"

"Move your ass!" Reborn kicked the Smokin' Bomb's butt from behind. Gokudera was forced out in to the light and he scowled. He was wearing his glasses to hide his face and his hair was now a jet black.

"Yamamoto, I will _kill_ you for this," he snarled.

"Oh come on, you look good as a brunette!" Yamamoto laughed cheerily. "Besides, it's a good disguise. Right, Tsuna?"

Tsuna nodded. "Good thing there was some hair-dye in the laundromat."

"If Juudaime says so..." Gokudera mumbled, fidgeting. The silver hair that he was so proud of was now the same color as the baseball freak's _and_ the discipline otaku's. This was not a good way to start a day.

"Gokudera-kun, which way?"

Gokudera snapped out of his gloomy reverie. "The entrance to the castle is this way. Follow me!" he, as stealthily as possible, moved through the alleyways, moving from shadow to shadow. Tsuna and Yamamoto followed him as quickly as they could.

"It's kind of hard to see you without your silver hair, haha!"

"WHO'S FRICKIN' FAULT IS THAT?"

"Shhhhhh!"

"Sorry, Juudaime!"

"What a bunch of idiots..." Reborn muttered. He stood off a little to the side, watching his charges. _However... Gokudera will become necessary to overthrow Belphegor if they are forced in to a _Ring Battle_..._

* * *

><p>Through a rather risky series of events including a dozen of Gokudera's dynamites, Yamamoto still pretending to be on the Varia's side, and Tsuna acting as a prisoner, the four adventurers managed to get in to the Arashi Castle with minimum damage - unless you counted the slightly burnt tips of Gokudera's hair because he had leaned too close to the fuses.<p>

"Hey, Gokudera, were the dynamites really necessary...?"

"SHUT THE HELL UP."

Tsuna turned his head this way and that to examine the hallways they were walking through. Rich tapestries and carpets of blood red decorated the stone walls and floors. Tables of mahogany wood with Ming vases filled with flowers occasionally dotted the halls. Gokudera guided them quickly until they arrived to a single door at the very end of the hall. "This is my room," he said, rustling his hands through his pockets to pull out a small silver key. He unlocked the door and slid in. "All clear," he whispered, and Tsuna, Reborn, and Yamamoto followed him.

Tsuna blinked. The room had dozens of toys lining the shelves and the bed was very small. Huge bookshelves filled to the brim with books and randomly assorted objects stood to attention at the far side of the room, behind a grand piano. Gokudera's eyes softened momentarily and he strode over to the instrument, playing a chord and then wincing. "Damn... looks like nobody's been tuning it..." he muttered and opened the case to examine the hammers and wires. A small cloud of dust rose up and he coughed. "Bastard's got no appreciation for music."

"Um... Gokudera-kun, why is your room like this..." Tsuna couldn't help but ask.

"I haven't been here since I was eight," Gokudera scratched his head sheepishly. "I guess it is kinda kiddy-looking."

Yamamoto laughed and walked over the bookshelves. He spotted a pretty piece of red sea glass and his face lit up. "Hey! You kept that glass that I gave you!"

"I-I was just a kid, I thought it was pretty," Gokudera snapped, turning scarlet for no good reason.

Yamamoto laughed and threw an arm around him. "Haha, what? I'm happy."

"T-There's nothing to be happy about!"

Tsuna sweat-dropped. _Oi oi, why am I getting a weird feeling from the two of you?_ Coughing politely, he turned around to look at a childish scribble framed on the wall. Squinting, he realized from the long silver strokes and the green dots for eyes that it might have been a drawing of Lavina. His heart gave a small pang.

"What are we doing in your room anyway?" Yamamoto asked, slightly sad (read: disappointed) that Gokudera had shrugged him off.

"I'm looking for my boxes," Gokudera replied, digging around under his bed. "They were confiscated from me a while ago."

"Your whole system C.A.I.?" the young samurai asked, surprised. "Even Uri?"

"_Uri_?" Tsuna questioned, wide-eyed. "They confiscated your melon?"

"No, no!" Gokudera quickly said. He scratched his head. "Come to think about it, Terra doesn't have boxes does it?"

Tsuna shook his head. Gokudera and Yamamoto looked at each other. "Hmmm," mused the baseball lover. "Well, you saw what I did with the ring and box earlier right? They go like... 'bam swoosh _kapwaaaang!_' and the box opens! Do you get it?"

"... Was that supposed to be Japanese just now?"

"Idiot!" Gokudera slapped Yamamoto upside the head. "Here, let _me_ explain," he turned to Tsuna. "Boxes and rings are like lock and key," Gokudera explained. "Boxes only open if a similarly-attributed ring is inserted. Like... Storm boxes can only open with Storm rings. If you use a Storm ring in a Rain box, it won't open. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," Tsuna scratched his head. "What are in the boxes? Swallows and melons?"

"Errr, no. Well, maybe some of them have actually melons, but Uri is my box animal. She's usually a baby leopard," Gokudera gestured towards Yamamoto. "Hey, baseball idiot, let out your _Rondine di Pioggia_ out for a bit."

"Wouldn't the flame sensors go off?"

"It's okay. This room is so covered in dust it must have been left untouched. Go ahead."

Yamamoto pulled out a blue box, which Tsuna recognized from (the previous chapter) earlier, and a ring with a blue stone. The stone flared to life with the blue, rippling flame, and he gently pushed it inside a small dent in the box which must have been a keyhole. There was a clicking noise and a blue swallow covered with Rain flames flew out of the box and swooped around their heads.

"Wow!" Tsuna gasped, delighted. He held a hand out and the swallow flew towards him and alighted on his finger. The little bird tilted its head curiously and gently pecked Tsuna's nose in a friendly greeting. "Hello to you too," Tsuna smiled.

"Haha, looks like he likes you!" Yamamoto grinned and whistled. The bird took off in favor for Yamamoto's broad shoulder and made a soft chirruping noise. "This little guy's name is Kojirou. He's part of a two-set box weapon, but I only have this guy's box," he petted Kojirou on the head and the swallow chirped happily. "Well, this guy is more like Kojirou Junior. My uncle has the real Kojirou."

"Your uncle?"

"Asari Ugetsu-jiichan. He gave me Kojirou Jr. on my tenth birthday. That's the standard age of when a Tenshi can have a box."

"So it's like a coming-of-age thing... ASARI-SAN IS YOUR UNCLE?"

"_SHHHHHH!"_ they all hissed to each other, fingers to their lips. They paused for a moment to listen for possible footsteps. Hearing none, they breathed a sigh of relief. In a quieter voice, Tsuna whispered, "Asari-san is your uncle?"

"Oh, have you met him already?" Yamamoto asked cheerfully. "Yup! He's from my Oyaji's side of the family. Technically he's a great-great-great-something-uncle, but family is family, I guess."

"And G.-san is your uncle, Gokudera-kun?"

"Hate to admit it, but yup, that old guy's my uncle," Gokudera shrugged.

"You keep saying 'old guy', but even though he is old, he's pretty young-looking, you know?"

"Shaddup, Yamamoto. I trust no one older than me."

_That's a wide variety of ages!_ Tsuna sweat-dropped. _No, no... back to the topic at hand_, he had a one-man tsukkomi-boke moment. "Um, then Gokudera-kun's box is also a copy of G.-san's box?"

"Only Uri," the bomber admitted. "Sistema C.A.I. was an Innocenti original. One-of-a-kind box weapon, which is why I'm pissed that Prince of Assholes stole it. Then again, G.'s Uri is like an upgrade software for Sistema C.A.I., so it's compatible. That Uri makes it more powerful, but a little harder to control."

"Hmm, sounds sort of like collector's items," Tsuna mused. "And they differ from region to region?"

"Actually, it's more like person to person. You saw those blue flames right?" Gokudera asked. Tsuna nodded. "Those are Rain flames, flames which originated from Ame. Flame attribute is mostly hereditary, like our wings. But there are people with more than one flame attribute. But Rain flames only work with Rain rings and therefore only with Rain boxes. You need flames for the rings so if the flames, ring, and box aren't compatible, then they won't work."

"Okay," Tsuna said finally. "I think I get it," he paused, then repeated, "I said, I think I get it!"

"We hear you, Juudaime..." Gokudera looked completely confused. Yamamoto was equally bewildered.

"Not you, Reborn! He always says some sort of snide remark..." he looked around. "Hey... where's Reborn?"

"The kid?" Yamamoto looked left and right. "Wasn't he here with us earlier?"

"When did Reborn-san leave?" Gokudera got down on his knees and peered under his bed. "He was with us when we came in."

"Weird," Tsuna frowned. "Where did he go?"

* * *

><p>Outside of Arashi Castle, Reborn sat on his sun disk, arms folded and legs crossed. He circled around the perimeter of the castle a couple times before picking one angle of the castle to watch. His pacifier shone a bright yellow and without turning around, he said, "Hello, Fon."<p>

"Hello," the Storm Arcobaleno said back. He bounded up to the star disk from his floating red staircase and watched it dissolve. "Watching your charges fight for themselves?"

"If they can't do it, then they can't inherit the Tenth Generation of the Vongola."

Fon sighed. "Yare yare. You are as harsh as ever."

"I'm not as soft as you. While you may be the most powerful unarmed Sage, you are still too sentimental."

"Most parents are easy on their children," Fon smiled.

"I-Pin too?"

"Most parents also go easy on their adopted child."

"If you say so."

* * *

><p>"Let's forget about Reborn-san for now," Gokudera was saying. "He can take care of himself. Right now it's more important to find my boxes!"<p>

"You're going to forget about a baby?" Yamamoto asked, horrified. Gokudera promptly hit him.

"No, you idiot! Reborn is like whats-his-face... Colonel. He's much more capable than any of us."

"You mean Colonello?" Yamamoto perked up. "Oh, then he's fine!"

_EHHHHHHHHHH?_ thought Tsuna. _He changed his mind so quickly..._ "So, Gokudera-kun... if the boxes aren't here, then where would they be?"

Gokudera bit his lip. "Maybe in G.'s study. Xanxus and the Varia want to take over the Vongola, but they respect the First Generation and the Kyuudaime to a certain extent, so..."

"Where is G.-san's study?"

"Two floors up from here, but the pathway is arduous. We'll have to go up the staircase from this floor and then cross that floor to the other side of the castle and then we'll go up _that_ staircase and run to G.'s room."

"Without getting caught? Hiii!" Tsuna whimpered in fear.

Yamamoto laughed and started stretching. "C'mon, Tsuna! It'll be fun, like a roleplay game!"

"WHY IS EVERYTHING A GAME TO YOU, YOU DAMN BASEBALL FREAK!"

Tsuna sweat-dropped. _T-This guy is way too easygoing..._

* * *

><p>Giotto sat on the cushioned window-ledge in his study and stared at the Varia mansion. They had been quiet... too quiet. It made him feel as if there would be a new threat to come. He quietly cursed in Italian under his breath. How did this happen? Xanxus had been raised well, but his brutal nature shone through the heaps of kindness piled upon him. Timeteo had quietly accepted his son's fate without a fight, which only made Giotto's guilt even worse. He felt as if it were <em>his<em> fault; as if he was culpable because of his favoritism towards Tsuna. But Tsuna was the_ genuine_ heir. Xanxus was...

His gaze turned downwards, and though his vision was obscured by clouds, he could imagine the Terra Castle in all of its ancient glory towering above the surrounded buildings. He sighed.

_Cozart..._

* * *

><p>Fon also has the ability to make a platform like Reborn. While Reborn's takes shape of a sun disk, Fon's takes shape of a staircase. He can only produce five steps at a time, so they disappear and appear accordingly.<p>

How long has it been? I don't even know. I feel so guilty but school is killing me. GAAAAH. And I feel that this chapter is no good tooooo. T_T


	20. Poison Scorpion and Declaration of War

What. WHAT. Tsuna, can you truly be this stupid? Hibari, methinks it's best if you increased the Namimori Middle School's education system. Cause it sure as hell isn't helping. Not that stuff from school really helps in the real world anyway.

The ColoxLal moments were adorable though. Can't wait until the Curse is broken forever and all of them regain their adult forms - cause you know, it's definitely going to happen (maybe).

**animepie:** The baka trio is right, but they're all so lovable with Yamamoto and Gokudera as the tsukkomi-boke and Tsuna as the unappreciative audience. And then there's Reborn as the, I don't know, MC or something, LOL. Haha, I actually like Bluebell, but I think she was a lot cuter with short hair (it looked like she had short hair in chapter 354 and the color cover of 355).

**Aya-chan's Alice:** *unlocks closet* Please, don't lower my number of readers. I barely have any as is. And 95 is Kyoko. I'm not sure how, but it is. I'll add some shounen-ai, but nothing heavy, okay?

**Frost190:** ... Did you read the previous chapters? Say... chapter one? Because Mukuro has already appeared. Chrome will appear... sometime soon, I think.

**Unknown Variable:** What is a Cloudcuckoolander? Whatever it is, it sounds like it would fit Byakuran perfectly, LOL. Tsuna won't get the HDW pills in the Arashi arc. The box comes much later as well, because he _is_ the last one to get a box in the manga. Besides Lambo.

**forgottentears6:** Thanks for being so understanding. T_T You're like a good rock of sanity so I feel happy when you review.

**RejectedByMostButLovedByAll:** Yamamoto-speak comes from his strictly Japanese father. I think Hibari and Yamamoto Tsuyoshi could become good friends. (_Hibari:_ Fight me. _Tsuyoshi:_ I need to run my store. _Hibari:_ I don't care. _Tsuyoshi:_ I'll give you this flounder fin muscle. _Hibari:_... *takes sushi and leaves. Comes back next day for more* _Tsuyoshi:_ Could you not come anymore? You're ruining my business. _Hibari:_ KAMIKOROSU.) Then an epic fight will follow.

**cael05:** Evolution is a very important factor *nods several times* It would probably serve a bigger purpose if I knew what the hell it was *fails at sciences* I love Yamamoto's bubbly personality. For a het pairing I think he'd be great with either Kyoko or Haru, but I digress.

**ZacharyStella:** Thanks for the two reviews. :) I love Kirby, especially in the _Super Smash Bros._ series. And Pikachu. Maybe I should add in Pikachu somewhere...

**hokkyokusei:** I LOVED THE NEW CHAPTER. BUT I WANT HIBARI. School is school. How can one have fun?

**TheParadoxicalOtaku:** Fon is in good shape for a 50+ year old (at least that's how old I think he may be). AND I KNOW THIS CHAPTER IS FLAT. I cried after I posted it.

**Ducks R Evil:** Really? That makes me so happy. :D Humans and Humanos... is there a difference? Maybe, maybe not.

**PuroCieloFiamme:** You're not getting CozaGio vibes, there _are_ CozaGio vibes. Which is actually really important later on in the story.

* * *

><p>A woman paced up and down in her room, fuming. Her thick and luscious pink hair swished behind her at every step. She was sparsely dressed in a white spaghetti-strapped top and blue skinny jeans. Leather bracelets decorated her left arm as well as a tattoo of a scorpion on her bicep. She had a beautiful face, which was twisted in a scowl. Nobody could blame her; she had been locked up in her room for almost a week now. If only she had a sakura cake with her... but all of her cooking utensils had been confiscated. And she had yet to perfect 'that' technique, so...<p>

She twirled a lock of her hair and sighed wistfully as her thoughts strayed to a certain baby. How she longed to see Reborn again! He would come to break her out of her prison, surely? Like a princess trapped in a tower, Reborn would come flying to her rescue... if only she knew where he was! Her love for him had lasted more than a year, though she hadn't seen him since the destruction of Arcobaleno.

Finally tired of wearing down the carpet, she sat down elegantly on her bed, legs crossed. "I can't stand this," she muttered. "I'll break out of here soon, just wait, you stupid prince!"

**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

Gokudera poked his head out of his bedroom and listened carefully for footsteps of possible patrolling soldiers. Hearing nothing, he gestured to the other two. "All clear. Let's hurry."

Yamamoto and Tsuna followed Gokudera as the silver-haired - still a brunette - sprinted down the hall as quietly as possible. How he managed to do it, Tsuna had no idea. He supposed it was because of Gokudera's experience of avoiding 'police' in the backstreets of Kamikaze.

They reached the first stairwell with no fuss. Gokudera demanded that they go up the stairs in single-file, with Tsuna in the middle and Yamamoto at the end. Yamamoto, pouting, asked why he couldn't be in the middle instead. Gokudera almost blew up at him before he remembered where they were: "Because we need to protect Juudaime, you damn idiot!" Yamamoto complied.

And so they trekked up the stairs, Gokudera still in the lead. It took them almost fifteen minutes to climb because Gokudera also insisted at going at a snail's pace. Tsuna wasn't sure if he was being prudent or stupid. Reborn would probably say it was a combination of both. Where _was_ Reborn?

They were halfway through the next floor when Gokudera suddenly froze and motioned for Tsuna and Yamamoto to stop.

"What's the matter?" whispered Yamamoto.

"Shhh!" Gokudera hissed. "I hear voices!"

Tsuna strained his ears and indeed heard gruff men voices coming from the other side of the hall. He gulped. If they were caught, they were done for. He glanced to his side and realized that there was a door, painted the same colors as the wall so that it was almost unnoticeable. _How odd_, he thought, but there was no time to be picky. "T-There's a door here. Let's hide inside!"

"Good idea, Juudaime!" Gokudera immediately said and turned the doorknob. At least, he tried to. "Dammit! It's locked!"

"Maybe we could break it down?" Yamamoto suggested. Gokudera scowled.

"... I don't like it, but I agree. Juudaime, keep a lookout please."

Relieved that he didn't have to help smash down the door, Tsuna hurried a little further down the hall and listened for the patrolmen to come. Behind him, Gokudera and Yamamoto rammed the door with their shoulders, still trying to do it as quietly as possible. The voices were coming closer and closer when Tsuna heard a grunt of exertion and turned around to see Yamamoto slipping through the door Gokudera close behind. "Come back, Juudaime!"

Tsuna sprinted back and hurriedly entered the room. Gokudera shut the door behind them and all three sighed with relief. "Lock it," Yamamoto whispered, and Gokudera examined the broken bolt to see if he could actually lock it. He compromised by putting a nearby chair made out of iron under the doorknob.

"We should be safe now," he said, wiping sweat off his brow. "Since this door was locked in the first place they won't think it's odd if they can't open it," he turned around. "Now we should make some extra precautions..." his voice trailed off as his eyes widened in shock. Tsuna and Yamamoto frowned curiously at him until they realized that he was staring as something behind them. They also turned around.

A beautiful young woman, perhaps only a little older than them, was staring back at them in surprise. More accurately, she was staring at Gokudera in surprise, completely ignoring the other two. "Hayato?"

"A... Ane...ki..." Gokudera said weakly before suddenly collapsing and foaming at the mouth. "Ughh..."

"Gokudera-kun!" yelped Tsuna - though he remembered to keep his voice low - as he rushed to his friend's side. Yamamoto blinked at the young woman.

"Bianchi? Is that you?" he asked in surprise.

"Yamamoto Takeshi?" the woman named Bianchi looked at him for the first time. "What are you doing in Arashi?"

"What are you doing here? Didn't you escape a while ago?"

"I got caught again," she scowled and flicked her long hair away from her face. "Stupid grunts jumped me while I was collecting some rare poison mushrooms. How irritating."

_Poison mushrooms? Who exactly is she?_ Tsuna sweat-dropped. Gokudera was still out cold. "Um, you are..."

"It's common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking the name of others," Bianchi said coolly. "And why is my little brother's hair all black?"

"Little brother?" Tsuna looked in between the fainted teen and the pink-haired woman and realized that their eyes were very similar. "EHH? So you're the half-sister that Gokudera-kun was talking about?"

"Yes. My name is Bianchi, the Poison Scorpion," Bianchi moved to push Tsuna out the way and knelt down next to her brother. "I could really care less who you are, however. Hayato? Are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Gokudera groaned as he rolled his head and then opened his eyes. The first thing that he saw was his sister's green eyes looking down in to his own. "BLARGH!" he yelped and fainted again.

"EHH? Gokudera-kun? Are you okay?" Tsuna panicked. He tried to help Gokudera sit up but Bianchi pushed him away.

"He's my little brother. I will attend to him!" she proclaimed. Suddenly Yamamoto quickly gathered Gokudera up in his arms and laid him down on the bed.

"Bianchi, could you get some water to cool his forehead?" he asked the steaming woman politely. She glared at him for a moment before stomping off to the bathroom, presumably to get the water. As soon as she was gone, Yamamoto's smile dimmed slightly and he motioned for Tsuna to come over. "Whatever you do," he whispered, "don't let Bianchi get near Gokudera unless she's wearing something that covers part of her face."

"Why?"

"Because he gets sick when he sees her face."

"EHHH? But she's so pretty!"

"That's not the point," Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head. "You see, Bianchi has the name Poison Scorpion because she's famous for her Poison Cooking, a special ancient assassin technique through food poisoning."

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?"

"I know, it sounds weird. But trust me, you do not want to eat her cooking. Especially not on an empty stomach. Anyway, when Gokudera still lived in Arashi Castle, he used to give piano performances during parties. One day his sister fed him some of her first Poison Cooking cookies. Since he was rendered half-unconscious, the performance went pretty badly."

"I can imagine."

"But for some reason, the aristocrats loved it - "

"Whaaaat?"

"I know, right? But they loved the performance because it was so abstract. So Gokudera's dad asked Bianchi to always cook Poison Cooking for him before performances. It kinda traumatized him and now whenever he sees her face, he gets sick to his stomach."

"... That's really sad."

Yamamoto laughed a bit at that. "Sad as it is, it's all true. So make sure that Bianchi wears goggles or something whenever she's near Gokudera, or he'll go limp on us again."

"Okay," Tsuna nodded. He lightly slapped Gokudera's cheek and called softly, "Gokudera-kun? Gokudera-kun, are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Gokudera groggily opened his eyes and saw his beloved Juudaime's worried caramel eyes. "Juudaime!" he gasped out and sat up, nearly crashing foreheads with Yamamoto. "Gyaahh! Why are you so damn close, baseball idiot!"

"I was worried!" Yamamoto protested.

"Don't stick your face so close to mine!" Gokudera yelled. Tsuna couldn't tell if the bomber's face was red from embarrassment or sickness.

Bianchi came out of the bathroom with a basin of water and a small washcloth. "Hayato, you're up," she said, relieved. Just as Gokudera was going to turn his head to look at her, Yamamoto practically jumped over the bed and blocked the silver-haired's vision.

"Um, Bianchi! Nice to see you! Could you please wear some goggles?" he pleaded. Bianchi stared at him suspiciously. "Please, I'm begging you!"

Still suspicious, Bianchi moved towards a chest of drawers and rummaged around before pulling out a set of biker goggles. She strapped them on and pulled them over her eyes. "Better?"

"Yeah, lots!"

"I don't mind that you have a goggle and/or glasses fetish, Yamamoto Takeshi, but I'm sorry... my heart already belongs to another."

"What?" Yamamoto blinked. "Um, yeah. That's okay."

He moved back to Tsuna's side who muttered, "What was that about?"

"... I think I just got rejected."

**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

Byakuran watched, amused, as Shitt P. used her giant balloons to float above Enma's head. The Prince was desperately trying to pull her down. It wouldn't have been so embarrassing, had they not been in the middle of town. Enma, who had hidden his red eyes behind sunglasses and his red hair under a beret, flushed as he tugged hard on Shitt P.'s leg.

"Scholar Byakuran, don't just watch!" he half-whispered, half-wailed. "Help me!"

Byakuran chuckled. "Shitopi-chan, why don't you come down? I'll buy you some cannoli."

"... With chocolate inside?"

"If you'd like."

"Okay," the air abruptly went out of the balloons and Shitt P. landed right on top of Enma, who yelped.

"Gwah!" he mumbled, his face in the dirt. "Shitopi-chan! Get off!"

Shitt P. stood up on Enma's back and then daintily stepped off. Enma grumbled as he stood up and dusted himself off. Byakuran promptly began to laugh his ass off.

"Cannoli now?" Shitt P. asked. Byakuran wiped away his tears of laughter and gallantly took her hand and led her down the street, leaving Enma behind.

"I'm going to hit him when we get back to the castle," Enma muttered resentfully. Even so, he followed them.

At a nearby bakery, Shitt P. and Byakuran were browsing the display case while Enma remained outside. The florist next-door, a plump middle-aged woman with gray hair pulled up in a bun, waved to him from the midst of begonias and called out, "Would you like some roses, young man? Perfect flower to express your love for a special someone!"

Enma smiled politely and shook his head. The woman, however, did not give up and came closer to him, shooting out random names of flowers, some Enma was not aware _were_ flowers. "Angrec? Columbine? Honeysuckle?"

"No, no thank you," Enma said. The woman pressed him a bit more before finally giving up and wandering away to tend some bulrushes.

Byakuran and Shitt P. came out of the bakery, arms laden with bags of sweet pastries, and Byakuran offered Enma a danish. Enma took it, albeit reluctantly, and munched on it as Shitt P. pulled his arm down the street. Just as Byakuran was about to follow, the florist called out to him.

"Excuse me sir, would you be Byakuran Gesso?"

The scholar paused and gave her a mildly surprised look. "I am," he replied, on guard. Rarely anyone used or even knew his last name.

"You have a delivery from..." the woman pulled out a bouquet of flowers and read the card that came with it. "'An old acquaintance'. Dear me, that's vague."

"Indeed it is," Byakuran accepted the bouquet graciously and examined the flowers. The woman bowed to him as he left the shop.

Byakuran's smile grew deeper and colder as he examined what he recognized to be fresh _Achillea Millefolia_ with zephyr flowers and sweet-scented _Tussilage_. The rest of the flowers were small bunches of asphodel blossoms.

"War..." he plucked out the _Achillea Millefolia_ and dropped it on the ground. "Expectation..." he did the same with the zephyr flowers. "'Justice will be done to you'," he repeated it again with the _Tussilage_. "And 'My regrets shall follow you to the grave'..." he dropped the whole bouquet and crushed the flowers underfoot. "A challenge, eh?" he smirked. "Bring it on, Mukuro-kun."

Meanwhile, the florist watched in surprised horror as she watched him stomp on the flowers. "Gracious, I wonder if it was his ex-girlfriend...?"

* * *

><p><strong>Bianchi:<strong> Gokudera's older half-sister by three years. At a very young age she discovered the possibilities of Poison Cooking and unknowingly forced her younger brother in to being her guinea pig. She is very popular among the residents of Kamikaze, but all of them get chased away by either her skills or herself. She appears to be in love with Reborn, but how nobody knows...


	21. Profound Disappointment

**Aya-chan's Alice:**Thank you very much *pats you on the head*. Bianchi has always been in love with Reborn. Although it was after Reborn became an Arcobaleno so I'm not sure whether to call her a pedophile or not. And yes, Gokudera's reaction to his sister is always hilarious. My favorite was probably the one about Tsuna and Reborn's birthdays.

**Unknown Variable:** Bianchi? Rapunzel? Did I give that impression? 0_o Tsuna is supposed to be plain (though we all know that he's actually a super moe bishie-in-the-making) in the KHR world so it's hard to be nice to him (it's kind of funny because he inherited his mom's face and Nana is supposed to be beautiful). He's one of those people that you would not say hello to unless you needed to. I don't think 8088 is crack actually, I kinda like the pairing. But only because of their humorous interactions during the Possession Arc.

**animepie:** S'okay. I haven't actually let Mukuro appear for a while so I guess it's a natural reaction. I love the flower language so~ And Bianchi... I'm not sure how much help Bianchi will be. Cause she's actually pretty weak compared to the rest...

**Frost190:** Thank you~ And it's okay. Mukuro hasn't shown up for a while. Bianchi is indeed another ally, but like **animepie** pointed out, she is a double-edged sword. On Gokudera's part anyway, haha.

**cael05:** I can't really see Adelheid or Chrome paired up with him but I'll take your word for it, LOL. I can see Mami paired up with him though. Byakuran and Mukuro... we'll get there. Some day (hopefully before the manga ends).

**forgottentears6:** TSUNA, WHY YOU NO RECOGNIZE REBORN? Isn't it obvious from the fedora _alone..._? Cheers for subtle 10069 hints, LOL. That being said, it's not going to be an actual pairing. I just threw that in there for humor.

**Chocolate and caramel: **I'm glad that you liked those bits. I had hoped that it wouldn't be so... I don't know, uninteresting. I love the flower language so much~ But it's hard to memorize. I just looked it up online. Just type in 'flower language dictionary' and something should pop up.

**PuroCieloFiamme:** Yep, there will be a lot of CozaGio vibes for many reasons that I cannot tell you. Ha. Ha. Ha.

**SIIRImperia: **LOL, whether they actually went out or it's only an old lady's speculation remains to be seen.

**Ducks R Evil:** TSUNA, U R STOOPID. Not that I can talk, my intelligence is barely average, LOL. Never taken an IQ test before but if I did, the number would be VERY CLOSE to 100. Yes, 6927 will be implied, along with many others. Sorry about not updating for so long ==' I've been having writer's block.

**Luving Randomness:** Hohoho, I'm glad that you've finally read~ LOL, I've been procrastinating with writing and such myself so I totally understand where you're coming from. That and knitting... (my rekindled passion for homemade scarves). Byakuran is awesome, just so awesome. I still cry over the fact that he sacrificed himself for both Tsuna and Uni's sake. T_T

**Raining Silver:** Tsuna's ALWAYS been kept in the dark. It's almost like... natural now, LOL. There are a lot of pairings that I can support... 6927 among them, but Hibari is actually my favorite character (LOL, way to go with the masses, right?). So once Hibari shows up it's going to be like... I don't know, chaos. LOL. Speaking of chaos, REBORN, IS ONE OF THE MOST AWESOME CATCHPHRASES OF ALL TIME REALLY JUST A FLUKE?

**Selene:** Your English is pretty good for not being your first language. :) Compared to some who speak it as their mother tongue and yet cannot write to save their life...

**Taira-keimei:** DUDE, you gave me a heart attack. I thought I had lost you somewhere in between chapters 18-20. I was like NOOOOOO! Not _her_! And hey... with this chapter I got 17 reviews. :P Not too bad.

**starsinjars:** LOL, this may end up like a CLAMP shounen-ai, where the pairings have so obviously gotten together and yet it isn't ever officially stated by actual signs of affection (Kinomoto Touya and Tsukishiro Yukito from _Cardcaptor Sakura_, and Fai D. Flourite and Kurogane Youou from _Tsubasa Reservoir __Chronicles_ come to mind). We'll see.

**Polar Pig:** Thank you very much for your praises. I dislike OOCs and try to avoid them as much as possible, but, well, with fanfiction it's kind of difficult (drifts off mumbling).

**whereami2012:** Well, like I stated above, I dislike OOCs so yes, the Varia will retain their antihero image, LOL. The real enemy... The real enemy is out there somewhere... though whether they are actually the enemy or whether they can be converted to good is up to the reader... Can't be helped, really. _Katekyo Hitman Reborn!_ is a series where all enemies become frenemies or decent allies that don't show up when needed, kinda like _Naruto_.

**SeleneT:** Thanks so much! I'm happy that you like my fics. Write some yourself and I'll comment too~

Wow, I've been away for about three months and I've gotten approximately 18 reviews on the last chapter, not counting one which requested me to update faster. Thank you very much. :)

* * *

><p>"Belphegor-sama," a Varia grunt knelt in front of a shadowy throne. A knife, sharp and dangerous, flew straight past his ear, making him start in surprise. "Belphegor-sama...?"<p>

"Out with it, peasant," said a sneering voice from the shadows. Another knife flew past the grunt's other ear and this time it drew drops of blood. "Hurry, before I run out of patience."

"S-Sir," the grunt stammered. "It seems that Squalo-sama's apprentice has betrayed us. He has teamed up with Smokin' Bomb Gokudera Hayato as well as two unknown persons. Currently we are unaware of his whereabouts."

"Hm? That Yama-whatever guy?" the voice sounded somewhat amused. "Ushishishi... I told our Vice-Commander that that brat is bad news. That's what he gets for not listening to a prince," a third knife whizzed out from the shadows and the man gave a muffled shriek as it struck him squarely in the throat. The grunt collapsed backwards and stained the red carpet underfoot a deeper crimson. "That's what you get for letting that Yama-whatever get away. Hey! Clean this up!"

Two servants hurried into the room and dragged the body out, leaving a trail of blood smeared on the floor. "Y-Yes sir!"

"And replace that carpet!"

"Yes sir!"

"Ushishishishi..." the voice sighed in content. "It's good to be the prince."

.

.

**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

.

.

Gokudera sighed. He had sufficiently recovered from his 'sister-shock' to sit up in bed. Bianchi was next to him, fussing as usual. He mentally groaned. She was a good, caring kind of sister, he would admit, but he did wish that she was a little more quick on the uptake on realizing that she was the cause for his illness.

"Do you want a cold cloth, Hayato?" Bianchi asked him. Gokudera nodded mutely and Bianchi tenderly wiped his brow with a small water-soaked towel. Tsuna sighed, a bit wistfully. Enma used to do the same thing for him when he was sick, which was often as a child. He wondered how Enma was doing. How many days had passed in Terra? It only felt like two or three up here.

"So what's our next course of action?" Yamamoto asked. He sat at the foot of the bed, near Gokudera's legs, with his own legs crossed. "Do we keep going to G.-san's study? Or do we go find Belphegor?"

"G.'s study?" Bianchi looked up. "Why do you want to go there?"

"We think that Gokudera's box may be held there," Yamamoto explained. "Come to think of it, you would know, right? Are all the box weapons stored there?"

"They are," the Poison Scorpion confirmed. "Mine were taken as well. Luckily I have one ring left but it's only D-rank."

Gokudera shakily sat up. "Hey... what happened to Dad? And your mother?"

"She's your mother too, even if she is only a stepmother," Bianchi reprimanded him gently. "To tell the truth, I don't know. I think they were taken to the underground dungeons to be interrogated for the whereabouts of Storm Ring's other half."

"We have underground dungeons?"

"Father had them built. He said, 'The moment we get Hayato back, I'm throwing him in a prison cell and making sure he will never escape again!'"

"..."

_Go-Gokudera-kun's parents seem to be rather scary people..._ "Oh yeah! Giotto-ojiisama mentioned that to me before... The Vongola Rings' other halves were given by the Guardians to someone they could trust..." out of the corner of his eye he thought he noticed Bianchi shift uneasily. _Huh...? Was that my imagination?_

"What is your relation to the Vongola?" Bianchi asked with a frown. At this, her brother literally sprang up from the bed.

"He is the Vongola's next boss, Juudaime Sawada Tsunayoshi-san! He is descendant of Vongola Primo Giotto, our Emperor, and possesses amazing skills which will awe you! He rescued me from a bunch of Varia goons by slamming a meteor on them! He's that amazing I tell you!"

_EHHH? What meteor! That was Reborn!_

"Hmmm, a meteor huh..."

_Don't believe him!_

"Well, thank you for saving my little brother anyway," Bianchi coolly flicked a strand of hair away from her face. Her posture, however, spoke otherwise.

"She's kind of... overprotective of Gokudera," Yamamoto whispered to him. "She thinks that she can be the only one to protect him, even though she's locked up here. She's always been like that."

"... Okay..." _A brother complex..._ "It's funny how he excerpted Reborn from the story altogeth - "

"DID YOU JUST SAY REBORN?"

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Tsuna shrieked in surprise as Bianchi suddenly thrust her face close to his, nearly smashing their foreheads together. Bianchi's eyes, showing clearly even through her goggles, were wide and fervent with desperation.

"Where is he? Where is my Reborn?"

"M-My?" Tsuna squeaked, slowly backing away, now half in Yamamoto's lap out of fear. Yamamoto couldn't help but snicker quietly and glanced at Gokudera, who was positively fuming. Was he jealous of Tsuna? The tall teen hoped so.

(Of course it was the other way around, but Yamamoto didn't know that.)

"My Reborn! My darling, sweet love! Tell me where he is or I will poison you to death!"

"HIIIIIII!"

"Don't threaten Juudaime, Aneki!" Gokudera weakly protested. "Reborn-san was with us up until we got into the castle. We don't know where he is now!" he glared at Yamamoto; in his fear, Tsuna had crawled in to the young samurai's lap and was clinging to the front of his shirt. Yamamoto, this time not noticing Gokudera's fuming expression, wrapped a comforting arm around Tsuna and gave him a light pat on the back for moral support.

"Calm down, Bianchi! I'm sure that we'll see the kid once we get out of this castle!" Yamamoto said cheerfully, unknowingly adding fuel to the flames.

"THEN I'M COMING WITH YOU!"

"Eh?"

"NOOO!" screeched Gokudera. "I'LL NEVER HAVE A MOMENT OF PEACE AGAIN!"

Bianchi dramatically ripped away her goggles and stared passionately at her brother. "What are you saying, Hayato! You're so weak and sickly, it's my job to take care off you!"

"BLEARGH!" Gokudera choked out, collapsing backwards onto the pillows again. Tsuna sweat-dropped.

"Hey, Yamamoto, could it be...?"

"Haha, yeah. Bianchi doesn't seem to realize that she's the one making him sick..."

.

.

**~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

.

.

"Atchoo!"

"Bless you, Reborn," Fon said. He sat cross-legged next to the Sun Arcobaleno.

"Thanks," Reborn replied. "It's getting chilly out here, isn't it?"

"I believe that a storm is soon coming," Fon said, looking around them. Dark gray clouds floated about them, and a gust of wind blew. "Seems like Arashi wishes to give the Battle of Storm an appropriate setting..."

"Hmph," Reborn smirked. "Looks like things are going to get even more entertaining for us spectators, eh?"

Fon sighed. "You really don't change, do you..."

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing."

.

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

.

.

"What do you _mean_ you're pushing back the coronation again?"

Cozart sat calmly in his throne, ignoring the hateful vibes from his grandson. "This is a surprise. You took the last delay courteously, what makes this time so different?"

Enma sat in his own throne, seething with anger. Three weeks had quickly flown by since Tsuna's departure for Cielo. Now Enma's crowning as King was only a week away... until Cozart had mentioned pushing the date back another couple months.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with the Council of Elders this time around. You're still too young. You're only seventeen. Even your father, Makoto, did not become King until he was twenty."

"I'm not my father!" Enma said furiously. "I need to become King as soon as possible!"

Cozart raised an eyebrow. This was strange; Enma usually did not care about becoming King. "The responsibilities of a King are still too difficult for you - "

"I don't care about my responsibilities! I just want to see Tsuna!"

Cozart's eyes flashed and Enma realized that he had gone too far. Raising from the throne, the First King of Terra cut an imposing figure on the young Prince. He had drawn himself up to his full height, and his anger made him seem even taller. "You don't care about your responsibilities?" Cozart asked, both quiet and terrible. "Do you realize what you are implying?"

"I..."

"Being a King means that all the lives within Terra lie on your shoulders," Cozart said, his voice slowly growing in intensity though not in volume. "You are the one our people look up to. You are the one who they trust with their lives. They have the utmost _faith_ in you... and you say you do not care?"

"I didn't mean..."

"No, you probably didn't. But your thoughts are too wild and impulsive. You let your emotions command your thoughts. Such things can put those close to you in peril!" Cozart's ruby eyes glared. "As you are now, you are unfit to become King. The suspension will continue as planned. Go and cool your head!"

The King of the Terra Kingdom swept out of the room and left behind the young Prince, tears of bitterness and shame flowing down his downcast face.

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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"I told you he was too young," a voice said quietly. Cozart, standing right outside the doors to the Throne Room, glanced at the direction which the voice came from.

"Elder..." he said, recognizing the oldest man on the Council of Elders, as well as the most amiable. "... Yes, you were right. Enma isn't ready to become King. I should have believed you."

The Elder stroked his silver beard. He was an ancient man who stooped constantly and had to use a cane to walk. He had hair on his chin and none of his head. He wore a simple blue tunic and cloak, a common outfit for the old. "You would do better to listen to us from time to time," a glimmer of humor shone in his brown eyes, "even if we are a bunch of old fogeys, we are still much younger than you."

Cozart couldn't help but laugh. "I suppose," he admitted. "I'll let you whippersnappers give me more advice from now on."

"Hohoho!" the old man chuckled, his round belly jiggling. "Run along, old one. Time for the elderly to go to bed."

"Yes yes," Cozart waved good-bye and set off, not towards his bedroom but the kitchen, where he hoped a nip of gin could lift his spirits a bit more. The Elder watched his leave and then laughed lowly. His right eye changed from hazelnut brown to crimson red, the Japanese numeral 'six' where the pupil should have been.

"Kufufu, yes, listen to my advice, Cozart Shimon... I shall direct your Kingdom to Heaven or Hell after I judge you and your grandson as well..."

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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As soon as Mukuro-Elder left, another person stepped out of the shadows in where he had been hiding his presence. "My oh my~" he sang, a smile tugging on the corners of his lips. "What a dilemma! Mukuro-kun has invaded the Council and made his way into His Majesty's heart. As expected of Mukuro-kun!"

Byakuran chuckled and pulled out a half-finished bag of marshmallows from his back pocket and munched on them. "Well, I've always been fond of chess," he said aloud, grasping one of the handles of the door to the Throne Room. He had heard Cozart and Enma's entire conversation; it was amazing how much one could hear if they only opened the door a crack. Luckily he had dodged backwards fast enough to hide himself after Cozart had come storming out. The Scholar thought that Enma could use some comfort right about now.

"I wonder Mukuro-kun..." Byakuran stuffed the last of his marshmallows in his mouth and dropped the empty bag on the floor. "Who will win? My King or yours?"

* * *

><p>... Wow, it's been a while. I've just been having constant writer's block and I just can't get the chapters out as fast as I used to. I have to go to college placement tests and start my internship and a whole bunch of other troubling things tooooo. T_T<p>

At any rate, I'm still open to ideas to give me some brain blasts. Heaven knows (though I am Atheist) that I need them right now.


	22. Captured!

****I AM SO, SO, FRICKIN' SORRY. I'm a terrible updater, a lousy writer, a angry critic, a... a... *bursts in to tears and won't calm down until someone gives her a Pikachu to cuddle with for the next five minutes*

*Five minutes later*

Anyway, I haven't been updating and I have no excuse except maybe pure laziness and writer's block. I just couldn't figure out how to write this chapter and then kept putting it off. Before I knew it, months had gone by.

I tried to make this chapter a little more action-packed to make up for it. I hope that you all enjoy! *bows* I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm - *shot*

**Unknown Variable:** Look, I told you that I was having writer's block, didn't I? I don't want to sound so irritated, I just can't get a whole story out, and it annoys me too... That being said, Byakuran meant Enma. Mukuro chose Cozart to be his 'chess piece' and Byakuran chose Enma to be his. That's what the reference to 'my King or yours' meant.

**forgottentears6:** Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna. He may learn soon enough, I hope. And wow, the Vindice... I am impressed and not impressed at the same time. Am I the only one with the impression that the Vindice as the previous Arcobaleno came to Amano-sensei as a late idea? And PFFT. Mukuro-Elder reminds me that I used to think that Mukurou's name was Mukurowl.

**SeleneT:** Your _'__Cielo_ _The Seven Relics of the Primo Family'_ right? I think it's pretty good, actually. Your descriptions are good, but your grammar just needs a little work (not that I can really talk). Plus, something that I always found useful to do is to make a timeline of how I want the plot to go. Sometimes I can change it if Amano-sensei adds something new, but I stick to it. Also! With OCs (just as a precaution), you should write a bibliography for them. What do they like? What do they want? How do they act? Writing a short personality summary (and decided the horoscopes) really helps to develop a believable character, not like the many Mary-Sues who are so Barbie-Doll perfect that their personalities are just as empty.

**cael05:** LOL, giddy? In a good way, right? Rather than weekly updates now, it seems like I'm doing monthly (or not even) updates... *sigh*. I'll do my best over the summer and see what happens. I also want to post a new story that I wrote before this, then stopped and have been SERIOUSLY rewriting...

**Night and Light Sky:** Thank you. I hope it doesn't boggle you too much; I still want the plot to be easy enough to follow.

**PuroCieloFiamme:** Oh, they're coming, don't worry. XD

**Luving Randomness:** He actually does know that he's around, but sheer luck (or my 'interference' as the author, LOL) has prevented the two from meeting.

**Misaki19:** Doing my best! ^^'

**Taira-keimei:** It's okay for you to review late; I've been updating really late as well, sad to say. :C

**animepie:** I'm glad, I'm glad~ And thank you so much! All tests are over and my graduation from high school soon approaches! Whoo-hoo!

**starsinjars****:** Hahaha... that's my fault, LOL. Sorry about the late (and somewhat short) updates. Hopefully this chapter will make that better.

** :** Awww, I'm glad! But do you have something that lowered your spirits? *concerned*

* * *

><p>Tsuna had no idea how he had gotten into this situation.<p>

In front of him was a blonde with long bangs and a crown (though it looked like a tiara) perched on his head. The blonde waved around a pair of oddly shaped knives before flinging one and it grazed the terrified brunette's cheek. A trickle of crimson blood dripped down and rested on the corner of his mouth. The taste of iron flitted across his palate.

"Ushishishi..." the blonde giggled like a child with a new toy. "The blood of royalty is beautiful..."

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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In retrospect, he supposed that it was his own fault. If only he had realized that having Bianchi along with them was a really, _really_ bad idea.

It had started out all right. As soon as Gokudera felt well enough to get up again, he had insisted on moving on with their mission to find G.'s study. Both Yamamoto and Tsuna had attempted to pacify him, but with Gokudera being Gokudera, it was near impossible. The silver-haired-now-turned-brunette kept insisting.

Bianchi, with the goggles firmly strapped to her face (if Tsuna could go back in time he would _glue_ them on instead), was adding in her own two cents by insisting they dropped by the kitchen on the way. When asked why, Gokudera turned a sickly shade of yellow and both the Terra Prince and the ex-Varia member desisted from further questions. Tsuna suspected the poison cookies would have made their reappearance had they listened to her.

(However, if Tsuna were to go back in time again, he would have let her take as many cooking materials as she needed to blast through the incoming Varia henchmen.)

"I'm _telling_ you, we should go to the kitchens and - "

"Maa maa, Bianchi. The kitchens are downstairs and we're trying to go upstairs. We'll end up going back the way we came!"

"So what?"

"What the hell do you mean 'so what', Aneki! If we go downstairs then we'll waste some serious time and we might - NOOO! Don't come any closer!"

Tsuna gave an irritated sigh. They had been stuck like this, still in Bianchi's room, for almost a quarter of an hour. For some reason, the gorgeous (and seemingly not all that bright) woman refused to move on without getting her Poison Cooking materials. Gokudera, the poor bomber, was simultaneously trying to defy his sister and keep her at a distance at the same time. Yamamoto did his best to help, explaining patiently to Bianchi over and over just _why_ they couldn't go down to the kitchens and was continuously blown off. Tsuna had to give the young samurai some credit; he had the temperament of a saint (or he was just amused. Sometimes his smiles were hard to differentiate).

"Bianchi," he said, trying to hold on to his temper. Normally he was a lot more tolerant but the added pressure of getting caught was grating on his nerves, "we're going to G.-san's study first, and _then_ maybe we can go to the kitchens. But please, G.-san's study is our first priority."

Bianchi looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Hmph, have you suddenly grown a backbone?" she crossed her arms, still looking stubborn. "Well, as long as we can go to the kitchens to get my supplies, I guess it doesn't matter. Until then, however, I won't be able to whip up any dishes to fight. Are you sure you want that?"

She looked at the three males before her accusingly. Tsuna sighed. Gokudera scowled. Yamamoto now _definitely _looked amused.

"We're going," Tsuna said, his exasperation giving him the sudden ability to lead. Gokudera scrambled up (and away from his sister) to his feet. Yamamoto merely grinned and sheathed his _Shigure Kintoki_ which he had been polishing out of boredom. Bianchi also stood up and glared down at the Prince, who merely looked at her as if he were tired. "Don't look at me like that. I don't have the patience right now."

She huffed and crossed her arms, but she relented. She knew that Tsuna did in fact have a point. Besides, she did have her own box weapons that she wanted back. Her poor scorpions were probably so lonely without her.

Tsuna pressed his ear against the door when Gokudera gently tugged him away. "Let me," he offered. "I have really good hearing."

"Haha! He's got a good sense of smell too! He's like a dog!"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A DOG, DAMN BASEBALL FREAK!"

"Shhhhh!"

Gokudera, after he was done seething, pressed his ear to the door and listened carefully. "Two people are passing," he muttered. "One has some sort of staff. There's always this out-of-beat third thump with this guy's steps. And the other one is probably really fat. I can hear the floorboards creaking."

"Wow, Gokudera-kun," Tsuna said, impressed. Gokudera rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

"What else can you hear?" Yamamoto asked. He himself had cupped his own ear and pressed it against the door as well, a little too close to the bomber for his liking (Gokudera's liking, not Yamamoto's. Yamamoto was pretty happy with this position). "I can't hear anything."

Gokudera sighed. Attempting to get the swordsman out of his personal bubble would waste too much energy. "They keep patrolling back and forth. They're talking too, but I can't make out their words," he frowned. "Something about... minxes in bad moods."

"A _minx_?" Bianchi asked skeptically. "You mean that irritating _Visone Tempesta_ of the stupid Prince?"

"_Visone_?" Tsuna asked, curious as to why two bodyguards would be talking about a small, fluffy animal.

"It's Belphegor's box weapon," Yamamoto explained. "A minx with Storm flame attribute, like my Kojirou has Rain attribute."

"Looks like Belphegor likes to let it run wild," Gokudera muttered. "Careless idiot."

Tsuna frowned, sitting down on the floor next to the bed and crossing his legs. "Now what should we do about the guards..." he muttered to himself. Gokudera perked up instantly.

"I can go blow them up, Juudaime!" he proclaimed immediately. He was about to charge out the door when Yamamoto quickly tackled him backwards. "What the - get the hell off me!"

"Maa maa Gokudera, don't be hasty! If you blow them up then the whole castle will hear and they'll find us in no time flat!" the baseball lover reasoned. The bomber scowled, unwilling to agree yet unable to deny the logic. Since when was Yamamoto _able_ to use logic anyway? He was about to retort when he realized that the samurai's lips were mere centimeters from his own. He could feel hot breath fanning him in the face.

"J-Just get off of me! Your face is too close!"

"Eh?" Yamamoto tilted his head and then grinned mischievously. "This isn't too close," he moved his head even closer until they were practically breathing into each other's nostrils. "_This_ is too close," he proclaimed, sounding a little too smug for it to be a prank. Gokudera's face, neck, and ears all turned a dark red.

"Umm..." Tsuna's voice floated up timidly. "It's not like I mind... but could you guys do that later?"

Gokudera sat up too fast, banged his and Yamamoto's heads together, cursed, then performed a dogeza. "I'm so sorry, Juudaime! This bastard just jokes around too much!" he grabbed the ex-Varia member and forced him in to a dogeza position too. "Apologize, you twit!"

Tsuna scratched his cheek, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Well, no, that wasn't quite the issue...?"

"Yamamoto Takeshi," Bianchi spoke, arms folded tightly against her chest, lips pressed together in a disapproving frown. "... I don't mind 'your sort', but if you make Hayato cry or force him, I won't forgive you."

Yamamoto laughed. "Sure thing, 'Onee-san'!"

"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING HER 'ONEE-SAN' YOU CRAP-FILLED, LITTLE - "

"Gokudera-kun, shhh! You'll attract too much... Gokudera-kun, _no!_ Put those away!"_  
><em>

"EAT MY TRIPLE BOMB YOU SHIT!"

"Hayato!"

"BLEAAARGH!"

And then all hell broke loose.

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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Even from up in the sky, the explosion could be heard. Fon blinked and looked down, where a cloud of smoke was floating up from around the third or fourth floor. "Goodness, what was that?"

"Tch," Reborn sighed. "That's why he's Dame-Tsuna. He can't even keep his most loyal Guardian under control."

"Maybe if you actually _told_ him that he's supposed to be in charge...?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"You really never _do_ change, do you..."

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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"HIIIII!" Tsuna screamed and quickly ducked as a spear, the blade engulfed in Storm flames, came hurtling towards his head. The fact that he was half-carrying, half-dragging Bianchi along on his back was not helping either.

Not long after the explosion, an entire slew of guards had sped towards their location. The young Prince, almost buried under rubble, had managed to shake himself off in time to once more duck underneath the debris as the Varia sentries rounded the corner. He had hoped that they would not spot him.

He had, however, overlooked the fact that Yamamoto and Gokudera were lying out in plain sight. The two had been rendered unconscious by the explosion. Bianchi lay close by, feebly groaning.

"It's the Smokin' Bomb Hayato! And Yamamoto Takeshi from the Ame division of Varia!"

"They must have caused the explosion. Grab them!"

"Why is this guy's hair all black?"

How on earth they had missed Bianchi was beyond him, but Tsuna supposed that he should count his lucky stones. As soon as the Varia goons left, he had come out of his hiding spot, pulled Bianchi on to his back, and was just trying to decide where to go when a maid (sent to clean up the mess, no doubt) had suddenly rounded the corner. Her mouth had fallen open at the sight of him.

Tsuna blinked at her. "I... uh... come in peace?" he said weakly.

"INTRUDER!" the maid screamed at the top of her lungs, simultaneously pulling out a derringer. "INTRUDER!"

Tsuna knew that he didn't have that much time - how he knew, he wasn't sure - and he tore off in to the hallway, bullets barely missing him. Bianchi's head rolled back on her neck. Tsuna hoped that she hadn't broken anything.

So now he was running as fast as he could go - which wasn't really that fast - with Bianchi weighing him down and no one to help him or defend him. Where had Reborn gone?

A spear flew over his head and Tsuna once more shrieked in fear. He tore his way through a hallway, took a right, up a staircase, and flew down the next corridor, looking left and right for a place of refuge. All he saw was a pair of double doors with the symbol of a swirling whirlwind carved into the wood. He attempted to open it, then cursed as he realized that it was locked tight. "Not good, not good, not good...!" he groaned in mental anguish. Already his body was fatigued and his heart halfway in to 'I-can't-do-shit-let's-give-up-and-grovel-for-mercy' mode.

"Poison Cooking Solution: Sakura Cake."

"Huh?"

A horrid smell filled Tsuna's nose and he gave a little squeak of discomfort. He let go of one of Bianchi's legs in favor of pinching his nostrils shut. "Bianchi! You're awake!"

"Mm," Bianchi replied, looking exhausted. "I... still have one trick up my sleeve," slowly, with a trembling hand, she reached out towards the door handle. "Heh... looks like I completed the Purple and Red Poison Variety just in time..."

"I've already tried, it's locked - " Tsuna blinked as he realized that the near-unconscious woman was holding what looked like a rice cake only it was strangely colored and gave off the horrid smell from earlier. Despite the situation, he couldn't help but feel bemused. What on earth was that supposed to do?

The moment the cake touched the doorknob, there was a hissing noise as if something had just been doused in acid. To Tsuna's amazement, the knob melted away like hot butter. Bianchi gave another little mumble, then dropped the cake which proceeded to melt its way through the carpet. Jiggling her gently, Tsuna realized that she had passed out again.

_... I don't know to be amazed at what just happened or impressed at the fact that Gokudera-kun isn't eating food through an I.V._

Tsuna kicked the door open and slid inside. Spotting an armchair halfway across the room, he swiftly jogged over and deposited Bianchi on to it. Then he seized another nearby chair, this one sturdy and wooden, and dragged it over to the door, where he jammed it under the doorknob. Hopefully, though the other knob was now nonexistent, it would hold for a little while.

He turned around to observe his surroundings. The carpet was a brilliant shade of red, matched by the maroon curtains covering the windows. Bookshelves filled to the brim lined the shelves and next to the armchair in which sat Bianchi, a brick fireplace was neatly laid out. A portrait, behind a large desk covered with crates, of G. was on the wall directly across from the door. The Storm Guardian looked solemn, his eyes coolly gazing down at the interior of what, Tsuna realized, must have been his office. A jolt of excitement went through him. If this was the office then those crates should be...

He rushed to them and pulled the nearest one towards him. As he had thought, they were filled to the brim with small boxes, similar to Yamamoto's. Most of them were of crimson red, but there was the odd green, blue, and yellow. There was even a single violet box nestled down on the bottom.

The excitement turned to despair. There were so many; how was he supposed to tell which ones were Gokudera's? He _did_ have a ring... the Vongola Ring Giotto gave him... maybe he could open them all up? But he didn't know how to summon a flame as Yamamoto had done. Heck, he didn't even know what affinity he was supposed to have.

He pulled another, slightly smaller, crate towards him, peered inside, and blinked. On the second thought, maybe he wouldn't have to open them at all. A variety of red, green, blue, yellow, and purple boxes stared up at him, all of them with a skull design. There were two belts at the very bottom and it was clear that the boxes were supposed to be clipped on to them. A small flat case was also in there, bearing the Vongola Crest. Heart hammering, he drew it out and opened it.

Inside rested five rings on black velvet. Four of them were black and with identical skull designs, but Tsuna's attention was drawn immediately to the ring in the center.

Or... at least that's what he thought it was. The shape was undeniably that of a ring but it also looked as if it were awkwardly made. Examining it, he realized that it was only _half_ of a ring, not a whole one. He looked at the engravings on the ring and, with a revived spark of excitement, realized that it had the top half of the same swirling whirlwind carved on the office doors.

A loud thud echoed suddenly through the room. Jumping, Tsuna nearly dropped what he was holding. Acting hastily, he stuffed the case into his vest pocket and groped blindly inside the crate for a box. He stuffed that in to his other pocket. Then he turned around and clenched his eyes shut to wait for the inevitable.

The chair didn't last very long. It only took two more kicks to the door for it to give way and let the Varia in.

"You're coming with us," one of the Varia grunts said and shoved a cloth under Tsuna's nose. The sweet scent of chloroform wafted up and Tsuna felt his mind go dizzy and blank. He was vaguely aware of their muttering, of wondering whether or not to take Bianchi with them, then he slipped into the territory of the sandman...

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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**_He was surrounded by darkness on all four sides, invisible walls pressing him down, unable to escape, unable to - _**

_"I'm here," came a soft, soothing voice. "I'm here, little Ouji."_

_Tsuna felt a familiar hand caress his face and he couldn't help but relax. He grabbed on to the hand and pressed it hard to his cheek as he faintly remembered what was happening to him. The walls disappeared and felt like he could breathe again._

_"Bianchi... Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto too... Mukuro, help - "_

_"I can't," Mukuro said gently. Tsuna couldn't see the criminal's face but he could somehow imagine the almost regretful look Mukuro would give him. "You'll have to make do on your own, little Ouji. I can't help you. Not now."_

_"But then _when_?" the young prince asked, feeling frightened, lonely, and much younger than he actually was._

_"Soon as I can, little Ouji, soon..." Mukuro pulled his hand away, not unkindly, from the younger boy's grip. "Time to wake up, Tsunayoshi-kun..."_

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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"Wait... Mukuro, _wait_," Tsuna mumbled. He felt something brush his cheek and he clutched it like a lifeline.

"Yeowch!" hissed a voice. Tsuna's eyelids shot open only to realize that he had grabbed Gokudera's hand and was practically squeezing all the blood from it; the pale knuckles were turning even paler.

"Sorry," Tsuna mumbled, still half-asleep. He let go of Gokudera's hand and sat up, his head spinning. "Where are we...?"

"We're in the dungeons," a voice from his other side said. Tsuna turned and jumped as an unfamiliar man was looking at him intently. "So you're the Vongola Juudaime, hmm?"

"Shut it, Father," Gokudera said gruffly, pulling Tsuna closer to him in a protective gesture. Tsuna blinked and looked at the man. Gokudera's father? He could see nothing of the father in the son... or come to think of it, in the daughter either. Bianchi and Gokudera must have inherited their respective mothers' appearances. Gokudera's father had the impression of former suaveness and good looks, but now due to both age and jail time, he was a shell of his former self. His cheeks were hollowed, his expression sad, and his hair and mustache was turning to a salt-and-pepper color. Even so, his kind eyes had a fierce look in them. Tsuna realized that he had seen the same expression on both Bianchi and Gokudera. Perhaps they were alike after all.

Gokudera's father did not bother to reprimand his son for rudeness. He merely let out a weary sigh that wasn't from fatigue, but from mild frustration. Gokudera was determined to look at everything except for the man in front of him. Tsuna looked in between them, then noticed that Bianchi was a couple paces away, still passed out. He hurried to her for lack of anything else to do and examined her condition. She was breathing evenly and had regained some color in her pale cheeks. He sighed with relief before turning around.

"Where's Yamamoto? And your..." he wasn't sure what to say. Mother? Stepmother? Woman-whom-you-do-not-give-a-damn-for? He thought that the last one might have been a poor choice to say aloud.

"She's in a separate cell. Your friend is over there." Gokudera's father said, nodding towards the bars. Tsuna peered out to see another cell directly across from them. Yamamoto sat there, leaning against the opposite wall and, unbelievably, whistling rather carelessly. He caught Tsuna's eye and winked.

"Are you okay?" Tsuna asked after he got over the fact that the samurai was still somehow very cheerful even though they were trapped somewhere that was most likely deep... no wait, there was no underground here... undercloud?

"I'm fine," Yamamoto replied with an easy smile. "Apparently Belphegor's going to call for you guys soon. You and Gokudera, I mean," he clarified. Tsuna blinked.

"What on Terra for?"

"Looks like he wants to ask you some questions. You know, about who you are and where you came from and stuff like that," Yamamoto shrugged. "Seems that he's interested in the ring around your neck, Tsuna."

The young Prince flinched. Oh crap, if they confiscated Giotto's ring, he would be in even deeper shit than he was in now. Clutching the bars, he desperately tried to think of an escape plan. Okay, maybe if they drilled through the ground... cloud... whatever, they could find themselves falling millions feet down. Besides him, the other three could fly, so if one could carry him... oh no, by the ice of Ghiacciaio no. Even if they could manage that, they'd be buffeted by the fierce winds of the rest of the Arashi region.

Gokudera had pulled himself next to Tsuna as he was deep in thought. He shot a look of utmost disgust at Yamamoto and asked and a deliberately scathing voice, "And why are _you_ so calm, Casual-dono?"

"You sound like Basil," the baseball lover grinned. "There's no point in being upset or we won't be able to think of a way to get out of here. So might as well put a smile on my face; it helps me think clearly."

Gokudera muttered under his breath something about 'idiot logic', but he could not argue and chose to keep his silence. Yamamoto kept whistling a cheerful tune. Gokudera's father merely stared at his knees. Tsuna crossed his legs and thought and thought, but he simply could not find a single decent solution to their predicament.

Fifteen minutes later, a rusty door creaked open somewhere down the hall of cells and the sound of footsteps on hard stone-like cloud came closer. Another Varia grunt stood in front of Tsuna's cell, snapping the Prince out of his trance.

"You two," he pointed to Tsuna and Gokudera, true to Yamamoto prediction, "come with me. And come _quietly_."

Gokudera was about to make what was undoubtedly a insulting retort, but Tsuna minutely shook his head. It wouldn't be best to anger their captors. Gokudera reluctantly complied and stood docilely by as the grunt opened the cell door. Gokudera's father looked up in time to see his son cast a long - but hopefully not final - glance at him. He gave a weak smile to the bomber who merely rolled his eyes in what could have been a fond way. Yamamoto gave them an encouraging grin that did not quite hide the shadow of worry in his eyes. It was the first time that Tsuna had ever seen an insincere smile from the ever-honest teen.

The two found themselves blindfolded and marched through a series of corridors. Tsuna could only hazard a guess of what direction they were going but judging by Gokudera's breathing the other was slightly more at ease. Perhaps he knew the place well enough to know where they were heading, the blindfold rendered useless in this regard.

Tsuna distinctly heard the opening of doors - very large doors apparently - and he felt the floor beneath him turn to soft velvet carpet. Gokudera's breath hitched and then their blindfolds were ripped away.

The first impression that Tsuna got was that this room was designed to either to impress or intimidate, depending on what one was called here for. He also realized that this was the Arashi Castle Throne Room. A long red carpet led to a set of twenty stairs which led to a great golden throne at the very top. Seated in the throne was a boy around their age, with messy blonde hair that hid his eyes and a very disturbing grin which showed a _lot_ of teeth. A small silver circlet - which frankly looked like the tiara that Mami used to wear for formal occasions - was positioned rakishly on his golden locks. That was the only way Tsuna could recognize him as the Prince the Ripper Belphegor; otherwise he looked like a misplaced punk rocker.

"Ushishishi..." the Ripper laughed a chilling laugh. "What do we have here? Peasant #1 and Peasant #2? Or maybe the word 'half-breed' suits you better, Smokin' Bomb Gokudera Hayato?"

"If you know my name, then use it," growled Gokudera menacingly. Belphegor laughed again.

"The Prince does not need to address commoners by their names," he said silkily. He was playing with a pair of strangely shaped silver knives between his long slender digits, twirling ithem in such a complex way that Tsuna was impressed despite himself that the Ripper didn't slash open his fingers by mistake. Quick as a flash, Belphegor suddenly flung one blade in a single rapid movement. Tsuna registered the blood dripping down his cheek before he felt the pain. A drop of it trickled to the corner of his mouth, where he licked it unconsciously.

"Ushishishi... the blood of royalty is beautiful..." Belphegor laughed. "Mine, I mean, not yours, but I'm not showing you. Well then, since I'm more princely than you, it's within my rights to take that pretty Vongola Sky Ring from around your neck," the blonde smirked. "I don't know who you are, but fancy you having what our Boss wants! I'd suggest you hand it over to the Prince."

Gokudera let out a howl of fury at Belphegor's impudence. "You fucker! When I get my hands on you..." he started towards the Ripper angrily but was ultimately held back by the Varia grunt.

"Oh?" Belphegor watched the bomber struggle with a kindle of interest. "And just what is this person to you, Peasant #1?"

"He's the next leader of the Vongola, Juudaime Kozato Tsunayoshi! And I'm going to be his right-hand man and _Arashi no Tenshi_! So you fucking back off or I'll shove a wad of dynamite up your - "

Belphegor let out a cackle of laughter, effectively cutting Gokudera off. "This scrawny runt? The next Boss? Now that's _almost_ funny enough for royalty," he wiped his unseen eyes. "But you? The next Storm Guardian, that _is_ funny enough for royalty!" he slapped his knee. "How interesting!" the current Prince of Arashi exclaimed. "I'm also aiming to take the position of the Storm Guardian for Boss's sake... perhaps... to kill a little time..."

Tsuna watched confusedly as Belphegor started to mutter to himself. He caught the phrases, "Mammon might get angry at me..." and "But it wouldn't hurt, I always win..." Gokudera was watching the blonde with an equally flummoxed face, but then his expression changed to dawning comprehension.

"I challenge you!" Gokudera shouted. "I challenge you to a Vongola Scramble for the Ring of Storm!"

Belphegor paused in his mutterings and let out another joyful whoop of laughter. "For once, we're thinking the same thing! Well, though it's a bit demeaning for a Prince to think the same as a peasant..." he grinned. "You're on," he looked to the Varia grunt still holding Gokudera's arms captive. "Go call for the Cervello Organization."

The Varia grunt bowed, released Gokudera's arms, and quickly exited the room.

"What did you just do?" Tsuna asked in a terrified whisper as the silver-haired massaged his arms to get some feeling back in them.

"I challenged him for the right to be Storm Guardian," Gokudera whispered back. "Don't worry, Juudaime, I'll be sure to win!"

Tsuna could only stare at him helplessly, feeling all the world like a princess awaiting to hear about the success or death of her champion.

* * *

><p><strong>Gokudera's Father:<strong> The previous ruler of Arashi before his throne was usurped by Belphegor. He is a kind man, but sometimes he feels the need to get his hands dirty in order to solve a problem. Gokudera dislikes him because of the lies he was fed when he was younger, but all fathers have their own secrets... **(The anime showed Gokudera's father in around episode 3, which I believe is the only time we see his face. Of course when he was younger he was cooler *probably*, but now he's a bit of a doting father. If you want to see what he looks like, look it up on Wikia. As far as I know, he doesn't have an actual name.)**


	23. In Which The Sister is a Heroine

**_HOLY SHIT I ACTUALLY UPDATED. BUT IN ALL HONESTY I'M NOT SURE WHEN I'M GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN._**_ In all seriousness, KHR had kind of lost its appeal to me due to the exceptionally shitty ending and quite frankly, I'm not sure what to do. If this story gets good enough reception, then I can continue. But if not, then that's it, really. _

_And, uh, there were too many reviews to reply to and I kind of lost track so I'll resume replying next chapter if there is one._

_Godspeed and bless my poor shattered KHR-creative soul._

* * *

><p>Tsuna was thrown back into the prison underground – no, undercloud - while Gokudera had been manhandled away by some of Belphegor's grunts. He had gotten up and flung himself against the bars in a fruitless attempt to escape but a rough kick spent him sprawling. Yamamoto, concerned, got up from where he was still seated on the ground in the opposite cell and put his hands on the bars. "Hey, Tsuna, are you alright?"<p>

"Yeah," the young Prince muttered balefully. He lifted himself up slowly, only to be seized by Gokudera's father.

"Where is my son?" he asked with pale, trembling lips. Tsuna felt a pang of sympathy.

"I don't really understand what happened, but…" Tsuna tried to choose his next words carefully. "I think he challenged Belphegor to be the Guardian of the Storm," he glanced around, noting with alarm that Bianchi was missing.

"They put her in a separate cell with her mother," Gokudera's father released his death grip on Tsuna's collar and ran a hand through his matted hair, clearly still occupied with his son. "That isn't good," he mumbled fearfully. "That isn't good. That isn't good at all."

Yamamoto held an uncharacteristic silence that made his next words seem insincere. "Haha! That's just like Gokudera. Don't worry about it, Tsuna. I'm sure that he'll be fine," he unconsciously scratched at his face with his right hand.

Tsuna blinked and for a brief moment, his mind was taken away from his silver-haired friend. "Yamamoto? Your hand is healed?"

"Hm? Oh. Yeah," Yamamoto flexed it a couple times. "One of the Cervello women came down here and healed it for me. She was pretty polite about it too, but then again all Cervello are really polite."

"I heard Belphegor mention them too," Tsuna remembered. "Who are the Cervello?"

Gokudera's father spoke up. "The Cervello are an all-women organization which deals with fair judgment. It doesn't matter who hires them, you will not find a more trustworthy moderator anywhere. Not to mention that they always fulfill their contract despite all unreasonable terms or deaths caused by the client."

"Ahaha! That's what makes them even more terrifying though," Yamamoto's smile turned wry. "In a way, it's like they're saying that they're fine with doing anything for the money."

Tsuna, who had thought the same thing, swallowed. "Will Gokudera-kun be okay?"

"It's Gokudera, Tsuna. That guy always manages to bounce back from any situation."

The brunette wished that he could share his friend's sentiments, but he clenched his hands into fists and silently prayed.

_Gokudera-kun… please, be safe!_

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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"Ahhhh, you're noisy Mammon. Just shut up for a while and let me have my fun."

On the wide screen before him, the image of a baby dressed in a long dark cloak sputtered at him. "Fun? _Fun?_ Do you even have any idea what you're doing? What if the Boss hears about this, Bel?"

"But he won't, will he?" Belphegor shot the baby a snide, winning smirk. "You wouldn't tattle on a prince, would you?"

Mammon groaned angrily. "Fine, do whatever you want. But I'm coming up there to witness the battle."

"Sure, sure," Belphegor gave a lazy wave. "I'm looking forward to seeing you~"

"Don't screw up or Boss will have _both_ of our heads on a platter."

"A prince doesn't screw up, Mammon. Besides, there's a certain protocol for the Vongola Scramble that the Smokin' Bomb will definitely not be able to complete…"

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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Somewhere in the bowels of the Kamikaze Castle, Bianchi awoke with a start.

Groaning, she slowly sat up, noting the dull ache in her head as if she had a hangover – _if only_ – and turned to the side to see another unconscious woman beside her.

"Mother!" she cried out in alarm, terrified of how still her parent lay. "Mother, are you alright?"

Her mother didn't respond. Even more alarmed, Bianchi gently rolled the woman over to face her. Her mother's face was dreadfully pale and her skin was tight on her face. She was horribly thin… emancipated.

_They've been starving her!_ Bianchi thought furiously. She wanted to help cook something but she at least knew that her abilities would probably kill her mother rather than help her. In her panic, she clutched at the front of her shirt without thinking. A hard lump startled her out of her troubled reverie and she blinked before remembering.

Reaching into her shirt, she slipped her fingers between her bra, right between her breasts, and fingered the thin ring of metal cunningly sewn into the lace. She had been entrusted, after all. Fortunately none of the Varia had thought to search her for what they had been seeking.

Scanning her surroundings, she took in the situation quickly. She recognized the dark hallway as the prison below the castle. Judging from the silence and the faint sound of dripping water, she was in a deeper half meant for true convicts… _and Hayato_, she couldn't help but smile a little. There was nobody else down here, she realized, because when Belphegor had taken over he had released all the prisoners to become his servants. Though considering how many of them were foolish, she had no doubt that few were still alive…

She crawled towards the bars, ignoring the stinging pain on her hands and knees, and pressed her face against them to try and see down the right side of the corridor, where she knew the stairway was. Tsuna and the others were probably there too, since they were a source of interest and more conveniently located.

The sound of a door slamming snapped her out of her thoughts. The echoes reverberated through the corridor and made it difficult to listen to. She heard gruff words being spoken, but they too echoed and distorted as they rebounded off the stone walls. She could only make out a couple words.

"Come… witness… Scramble…"

At the word 'Scramble', Bianchi froze. They couldn't have… they didn't mean… Horrified, she grabbed at the bars and shook them fiercely, the clanging noises resonating and creating a huge din.

_No, Hayato, no! You don't have the requirements for a Vongola Scramble!_ she desperately tried to use the Red and Purple Variety on the bars. _I did it before. Work, dammit, work!_ she gritted her teeth and tears stung her eyes. Her brother, her precious baby brother…

_HAYATO!_

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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Gokudera snapped his head around, startled.

For a second he had thought that he had heard his sister's voice, but she wasn't there. There were only the two who had 'escorted' him to this room so that he could prepare for the upcoming battle.

"Fuck off, bastards!" Gokudera snarled at Belphegor's underlings who were guarding the door. "At least let a guy have a little privacy!"

The Varia grunts merely stared levelly back at him. Scowling, Gokudera turned around and stripped off his shirt. There were several cuts, abrasions, and bruises on his torso from the earlier explosion – _That was the fucking baseball idiot's fault, not mine!_ – and he grabbed some nearby clean bandages to wrap around them. He had to admit he was at least grateful that Belphegor had called the Cervello to oversee their battle. He hated those pink-haired bitches, but at least they had insisted that he should at least dress his prior wounds. However, his pride and ego did not allow for him to agree to get his wounds treated by them.

Making sure that the bandages were nice and tight, he then pulled on a new blue shirt – he left it mostly unbuttoned though – and examined the tools on the nearby table that he had been given to work with. His trademark dynamite was there, which was good. He would have liked to get his Boxes back, but the Vongola Scramble did not allow rings or Boxes to the fights. It was going to be a show of pure skill with the chosen weaponry.

They had given him a belt to put the dynamite in, much to his pleasure. He stuffed as many as he could inside the pockets until they bulged. The grunts watched passively, making sure he didn't make any unnecessary movements…

"Ah, there's a lot left over," the bomber said out loud, scratching his head over the pile left on the table. "Guess I'll just put them in the usual place then."

The underlings blinked…

… and suddenly the entire pile was gone and Gokudera was dusting his hands off.

"There we go."

One grunt rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing straight. The other one stared, bewildered, until Gokudera turned around and both of them hastily resumed their unreceptive gazes.

"What the hell are you staring at? Never saw a magic trick before?"

_MAGIC TRICK!?_ both minions wanted to shout but chose to keep their silence.

A knock resounded on the door and one hastened to open it to keep a poker face. A woman with light pink hair down to her shoulders and a black mask much like the famous Terra play _Phantasm of the Theater_. Her skin was a dark shade of brown.

"Gokudera-sama, the preparations are finished. Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Gokudera quickly snatched his cigarettes from the table and paused as he realized that his lighter was gone. Sticking one between his lips, he turned to one of the grunts – the one that had manhandled him with particular roughness. "Oi, got a light?"

The minion glanced at the Cervello woman who nodded, and he pulled out a silver lighter from one of the many pockets on his uniform. Gokudera approached him and the grunt flicked on the small device. Gokudera lit his cigarette, took a long puff, and slowly blew the smoke out.

"Thanks," he said before delivering a well-deserved roundhouse punch to the face. The Varia underling didn't even know what had hit him before he was on the ground, groaning dazedly.

Enraged, his partner flew at Gokudera's turned back, hands reaching out and prepared to strangle…

Gokudera aimed an elbow to the gut followed by a backwards punch to the face without even turning around.

"Oi, Cervello woman, let's go," he said, tucking his new lighter into his chest pocket. The Cervello had watched all of this impassively.

"Very good then, Gokudera-sama. Please follow me."

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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Escorted by two Cervello women, Tsuna and Yamamoto walked through the decorated hallways of the castle. They had been taken out of their prison cell to watch the Vongola Scramble.

As expected, Tsuna was still infinitely nervous about the whole thing. Gripping tightly into Yamamoto's sleeve, Tsuna took a peek at the Cervello women behind him. Both of their faces, half-hidden, told him nothing about them. It was unusual – since he was young, he had always possessed an uncanny ability to decide who was a friend and who was a threat. It was the first time he had encountered a neutral party, and it scared him.

"They won't hurt you," whispered Yamamoto comfortingly. "Not unless you make a breach of contract."

"But I don't even know what the contract _is_."

"Me neither. Guess we'll have to stay on our toes, huh?"

Tsuna had a sneaking suspicion that Yamamoto was, somehow, enjoying all this.

It wasn't until they came to a staircase that Tsuna realized they were going up. "Where are you taking us… um, Cervello-san?"

Yamamoto, for whatever reason, started laughing. The Cervello women looked mildly amused. "We are heading for the roof of this building," one of them supplied. "I understand that the Arcobaleno's Reborn-sama and Fon-sama shall join us there."

"And we appreciate the sentiment, Tsunayoshi-sama," added the other. "But we have no names to give you."

"Oh, uh…" Tsuna flushed. So that was why Yamamoto had been laughing.

After many flights of steps which left Tsuna panting in the end, they came to a double door of sorts embossed with the symbol of Storm. Each Cervello woman moved forward so that they were grasping one handle each. Then they turned to Tsuna and Yamamoto and spoke perfectly in turn.

"What you are about to witness now – "

" – is the Vongola Scramble for the rights of the Storm. Do you both swear – "

" – upon the name of our Emperor Giotto to not interfere with the match – "

" – regardless of what the outcome may be?"

Tsuna, who had been slightly disoriented from their way of talking, blinked a few times before glancing at Yamamoto. The taller teen instantly strode forward and said in a surprisingly serious voice, "I swear on the pride of my home Ame that I, Yamamoto Takeshi will not interfere with the match."

"Well spoken," one of the Cervello commented before turning her gaze on Tsuna. "And you? Tsunayoshi-sama."

Lost, Tsuna glanced at Yamamoto who regained his usual smile and bent down to whisper in Tsuna's ear. Tsuna haltingly repeated the words that Yamamoto told him to say.

"I-I swear on my duty… and pri-pride as Emissary of Terra that I, K-Kozato Tsunayoshi… will not interfere with the match."

"Your vows have been received and recorded," the Cervello both said at once, before speaking once more in turn.

"Remember that if you violate these vows in any way – "

" – the Cervello will exercise their right to forcefully – "

" – and possibly violently purge the violators – "

" – and put them on trial before the judges of Vindice."

"_Is this understood?_"

Yamamoto clapped a steady hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "Understood."

Tsuna did not trust himself to say anymore and gave jerky nod of the head. The Cervello women glanced at each other before nodding and simultaneously pulling open the door.

Immediately a gust of wind blew through the doors, nearly knocking the two teens backwards. Tsuna instinctively threw up his arms to shield his face and felt Yamamoto do the same. The wind was wet with rain and smelled of drenched earth. Such a scent suddenly reminded Tsuna of Terra and he was overcome with a bout of homesickness.

Eventually the wind died down and Tsuna and Yamamoto both felt that it was safe to put their arms down. The sky outside was dark and cloudy, even more than usual. Across the rooftop stood two tiny figures and one person who both teens recognized with a start.

"Shamal!"

The perverted doctor gave them a lazy wave. "Yo, brats. How are you doing?" he glanced down at Reborn and Fon who stood at his feet. "Looks like you've been through hell and back."

"Reborn!" Tsuna exploded. "Where _were_ you?! Do you have any idea what we've been through?!"

"Shut up, Dame-Tsuna. At least you're alive," Reborn stated bluntly. Fon sighed at his comrade's cold way of speaking.

"Forgive us," Fon apologized. "In a way, I suppose you could say that this was Reborn's method of examining you. He says that you, ah, need to prepare for the trials that will come."

"You mean there's _more_?!"

"Dame-Tsuna, weren't you listening to the Emperor? There are seven rings in total after all," Reborn glanced at Yamamoto. "Which reminds me… I need to speak to you afterwards, Yamamoto. I have some questions for you."

Puzzled, Tsuna glanced at Yamamoto who merely smiled as if he knew what Reborn was talking about. "Sure, kiddo. Whatever you say!"

"Don't leave me out of the loop!" Tsuna whined. Yamamoto laughed and slung an arm around him, assuring him that they would let him in. Tsuna didn't quite believe him.

"So what happens now?" Yamamoto asked in a more serious tone after his initial joking. Reborn merely gave a noncommittal shrug.

"We wait," Fon said gently for Tsuna's sake. "We wait, and we hope for Gokudera Hayato's safety," to further reassure Tsuna, the small baby of Storm hopped on to Tsuna's shoulder and patted the side of his face. "Cheer up. I'm sure that the Smokin' Bomb will be fine."

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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Meanwhile, Belphegor had hit an unexpected problem.

"What do you _mean_ it's gone?!" he seethed angrily at his flinching subordinate, who was bowing and apologizing profusely.

"I-I'm sorry, Belphegor-sama!" the Varia grunt stammered in fear. "B-But when I looked into the storage crates, the entire ring case belonging to Gokudera Hayato was gone! Including our half of the Ring of Storm inside - erk!" he made a gagging noise as one of the blond prince's uniquely shaped knives found their way through his common carotid artery.

Belphegor, feeling better after have killed something, took several deep breaths and ran his hand through his hair. Of all the goddamn rotten luck... it must have been one of those foolish peasants that had dared to steal the ring. Come to think of it, that small and mousy looking peasant had been found in G.'s study, which was where the ring case had been stored. Most likely that foolish peasant had taken the rings. He smiled a small grim smile.

This, he thought silkily, could have been taken for treason against the Prince of Arashi. This, he could possibly use to his advantage.

"Shishishishishishi," he giggled to himself. He was _dearly_ going to enjoy this, every last minute of it.

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

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Tsuna stared over the rooftop railing in disbelief. What he saw on the ground was something that just seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.

"Ohh," Yamamoto remarked, giving a whistle of approval. "They did it really well. As expected of the Cervello illusionists."

"Um," Tsuna pointed towards the lower right of the thing he was staring at. "Isn't that Gokudera-kun's old bedroom?"

"Yep. Looks like they completely remodeled it to the point where they even copied the layer of dust over it," the Ame samurai laughed. "I'm impressed, as usual. They completely recreated a floor from the Arashi Castle out of Mist flames."

"Whaaaaaat?!"

"Dame-Tsuna, you're noisy."

"But it's amazing!" Tsuna swept his gaze over what appeared to be a perfect life-size model of Arashi Castle's second floor. Bedrooms, studies, bathrooms, and what looked like an expansive library sprawled over the castle grounds. Even the carpeted hallways down to each vase-topped table and paintings on the walls were exact copies. Tsuna was vaguely reminded of Adelheid's open-roof dollhouse from when they were children.

But what was the weird feeling that he was having? His gaze shifted left and right as he tried to keep an eye out for a certain criminal illusionist. Logically speaking it was impossible for him to be here but Tsuna felt that when it came to Mukuro, anything was possible...

"Tsuna, what's wrong? You're looking all twitchy."

"It's nothing..." Tsuna frowned. "Yamamoto, you said that this was made of Mist flames...?"

"Oh, right, you wouldn't know, would you?" Yamamoto scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, basically, each flame as a particular characteristic that each region of Oozora is famous for. For example, Arashi's Storm flame's characteristic would be 'disintegration' or 'destruction'. Ame would be 'tranquility' or 'numbing'. In Kiri's case, Mist flames are known for 'construction'. Mist flames have the ability to create something out of nothing, change reality into fantasy or vice versa," Yamamoto pointed down towards the life-sized model. "But it takes a lot of skill and power to create something so finely detailed and solid to touch. That's why the Cervello has many skillful members," he smiled a slightly wry smile. "But unfortunately, Kiri does not have a very good reputation despite their ability... or maybe it's because of their ability."

"Wasn't..." Tsuna hesitated at his next question. "Wasn't Rokudo Mukuro also an Angelo of Kiri...?"

"Oh, you know of Mukuro? Yeah, he was. That's why they don't have a good reputation," the dark-haired boy gave a rueful laugh. "Because of this, Mukuro's cute little sister had a lot of trouble keeping order..."

"He had a little sister - "

"JUUDAIME!"

Tsuna gave a huge jump of fright and whirled around to lean against the railing. On the ground, Gokudera, his hair back to its usual shining silver, waved at him from the ground. "Gokudera-kun!" he shouted back. "Are you alright?"

"I'm great, Juudaime!" Gokudera hollered. "I'll win a magnificent victory! You just watch me!"

"D-Don't push yourself!"

"Gokudera," Yamamoto leaned over the railing and waved. "Hey, Gokudera! I'll watch you win too!"

"I'M NOT DOING IT FOR YOU!"

Tsuna sweat-dropped slightly as he watched the two have a shouted bickering match. _S-Somehow, the air between them feels just as weird as the air around Mukuro..._

"Ready to lose?" came a new but recognizable voice. From a different exit than the one Gokudera took, Belphegor emerged, carrying something - or someone - in his arms. "You inferior little peasant."

"I'm here to win," Gokudera shot back, eyeing whatever was in Belphegor's arms. "You brought a kid to a match? Is it yours?"

"Perish the thought. As if such a sickening prince could be my father" came a very soft and not unpleasant voice. And yet something about it shot a shiver up Tsuna's spine. Gokudera blinked in bewilderment as he realized that it was the baby who had spoken. Belphegor let go and instead of dropping towards the ground, the baby floated. It was dressed in a black robe which came up to cover half of its face. It was impossible to tell whether it was a boy or girl, but Tsuna supposed that it was male, if its first person honorific was anything to go by.

"You talked!" Gokudera stated the obvious in his surprise.

"Indeed. So did you. I'm surprised, I thought I would hear monkey noises coming out of your mouth."

"What did you say?!" Gokudera demanded, yanking out some dynamite from his belt. The baby snorted and turned towards Belphegor. "I'm going up. If you lose, I'll report you to Boss right away," he said in his soft spoken voice.

"There's no way I'll lose," Belphegor said easily, "because there might not even be a battle."

"What?"

"What?"

"WHAT?!"

"Belphegor-sama?" one of the Cervello ladies, who was also on then ground questioned. Belphegor turned to her, a smirk on his face.

"You, Cervello-woman," Belphegor pointed at her. "Were you one of the Cervello who had come here to oversee my crowning as the Arashi prince a few weeks ago?"

The woman hesitated and then nodded slowly. "Yes, I was one of the ones who witnessed your coronation."

"Then you know that I had my half of the Storm Ring stored away for safekeeping, right?" Belphegor advanced on the poor girl, that grin of his growing bigger and bigger.

"Yes, Belphegor-sama."

"This morning," Belphegor turned his head towards Gokudera, who took a step back, "I went to check on my lovely ring as it is necessary for a Ring Battle," Gokudera's face changed from confused to horrified. "But when I looked for it, it wasn't there!" Belphegor threw up his hands in mock despair. "But I know that this peasant, along with the two peasants up there were running around my castle beforehand," he pointed an accusing knife at the Smokin' Bomb's face. "Which means that one of them probably stole it!"

The Cervello behind Tsuna and Yamamoto looked at each other before one of them tapped Tsuna on the shoulder. "Kozato Tsunayoshi-sama, please allow us to check your pockets."

A lump of dread settled in Tsuna's throat and the Terra Prince had no choice but to allow the Cervello to check the pockets of his pants. When he felt one of them slip their hand into his sweatshirt pocket and close around the Ring case, he knew that it was all over.

The Cervello delicately opened the case and examined the half of the Storm Ring inside. "Belphegor-sama," she said without taking her eyes away from it, "which half of the Storm Ring did you possess?"

"The top half," Belphegor said without hesitation. "The one with half the Arashi stone set on the right."

The Cervello woman nodded and turned to Tsuna. "This incident will be forgiven and nullified," she said calmly, "so long as you provide your half of the Vongola Ring of Storm."

"Wha - " Tsuna said, bemused, "I don't don't have anything like that!"

"Then, Yamamoto Takeshi-sama?"

Yamamoto shook his head regretfully, his smile completely gone.

"Reborn-sama? Fon-sama?"

Both of the babies looked at each other and shook their heads.

The Cervello women looked at each other before - to Tsuna's utter shock - jumped over the railing to join their associate on the ground below. The three of them held a quiet but hasty conference before turning towards Belphegor and Gokudera, speaking in their eerie unison.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances - "

" - as well as the theft of contender Belphegor-sama's Half Vongola Ring - "

" - and the unpreparedness of the other party - "

"We declare this Ring Battle in Belphegor-sama's favor," they chorused. Gokudera's mouth fell open.

"Shishishishi," Belphegor laughed. "See, Mammon? There was never anything to worry about."

"Muu, you," the baby called Mammon sighed. "If you knew this was going to happen, you should have said so from the start. Making people worry..."

"Oh, were you worried~? About little ol' me~?"

"Shut up, moron," Mammon stated coolly. "If it was this easy, then hurry up and kill these guys already. That silver-hair over there is a total eyesore. He reeks of poverty."

"Fuck you, squirt," was Gokudera's eloquently scathing reply, pulling out a dynamite from his left pocket and lighting it with his cigarette. "If I go down, I'm taking you with me."

"Shishishi... You sure? If you do, Peasant #1 and Peasant #3 up there are going to get killed too."

_Juudaime?_ Gokudera's head shot up, alarmed. True to Belphegor's words, his beloved boss and his - he had to admit reluctantly - childhood friend being surrounded on all sides by Varia grunts. Some of them looked eager to hack the brunette to bits.

"HIIIII!" Tsuna's scream was the finishing blow. Gokudera put out the dynamite fuse and dropped his hands to his sides. "Not Juudaime..." he muttered, face towards the ground in resignation. No matter how badly he wanted to put the hurt on his grinning blond bastard, he couldn't let his savior and boss be killed over his own petty matters.

"Shishishishi - BLARGH!"

Gokudera caught a familiar whiff of poison and resisted the urge to vomit. Pinching his nose shut with his fingers, Gokudera glanced up to see something purple and slimy oozing off of Belphegor's hair.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY BROTHER, YOU BRATTY PRINCE!" yelled a very familiar voice.

"Aneki?!"

**.**

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**~~~~~~XXChild-Of-The-Earth-Angel-Of-The-SkyXX~~~~~~**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna didn't think he could get anymore surprised even if he tried.

When the Varia grunts had surrounded him, all he could think was that he was going to die somewhere far away from home and without being able to say goodbye to his family.

The next thing he knew, all the men were down for the count as Bianchi suddenly barged up to the roof, purple cakes flying everywhere. "Eat this! Poison Cooking Variety: Devil's Cake!"

Men were downed as they all received a specially baked cake to the face - some of them opened their mouths to scream and hit the ground faster - and before Tsuna knew it the only ones left standing were himself, Yamamoto, the Cervello, and their unexpected savior. Bianchi flung one cake over the edge of the roof and the yell from below was more than audible.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY BROTHER, YOU BRATTY PRINCE!" Bianchi screamed at the top of her lungs. She was sweating and panting and her hair was mussed up and hanging in front of her goggles, making her look, quite frankly, very sexy.

"Aneki?!" Tsuna heard Gokudera yelp in surprise. Bianchi stood there like an Amazon of legend, hands imperiously on her hips.

"The Battle of the Storm is valid! I have proof!" she yelled.

"What could you possibly prove, Peasant Woman #1?" Belphegor demanded, still trying to pull away the cake from his hair without actually touching it. "The Smokin' Bomb doesn't have his half of the Storm Ring. End of discussion."

"Of course he doesn't have it," Bianchi scoffed. "As you know, the six _Shugotenshi_ entrusted their halves of the Vongola Rings to people they trusted. The Rings are well hidden. Nobody knows where they are," she gripped on to the hem of her shirt, "Well," she acknowledged, "except for me."

She promptly stripped off her shirt and tossed it aside with total immodesty, revealing her black lacy bra and hot body for all to see.

"Ooo?" Yamamoto blinked once. Twice. Stared.

"Ooooo?!" Tsuna yelped, flushing red. Yamamoto slapped a hand over his eyes.

"_OOOOOOOOO!"_ groaned all of the half-dead Varia grunts on the ground, sounding much more excited than they should have towards their murderer.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, WOMAN!?" Gokudera screeched, horrified at his sister's shamelessness. "FUCKING PUT YOUR SHIRT BACK ON!"

"No, no, she doesn't have to. The Prince is okay with this."

"THAT'S MY SISTER YOU FUCKING PERVERT PRINCE!"

"Muu muu, so you're a healthy young man after all."

Back up on the rooftop, Tsuna squirmed as Yamamoto kept an iron grip on his face. "Y-Yamamoto? That hurts!"

"Ahahaha, sorry kiddo, but you're a bit too young to see this."

"Eh?" Tsuna paused. "... Yamamoto, I'm technically the same age as you."

"Eh? You are?"

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW?!"

Bianchi ignored everybody and put her fingers to the front of her bra and started fiddling with it, freaking Gokudera out even more.

"DON'T YOU _DARE_ TAKE THAT OFF, WOMAN!"

"I'm not going to. What woman would take her bra off in front of a bunch of men?," Bianchi snorted disdainfully.

_BUT IT'S OKAY IF IT'S JUST THE SHIRT?!_

"I just needed to get _this_," she pulled out a tiny silver circlet from within her bra. One of the Cervello women, completely stone-faced at the entire situation, came closer to inspect it.

"... This is indeed the other half of the Storm Ring," she announced calmly. She took it from Bianchi and tossed it to her counterpart on the ground below. The other Cervello woman caught it and examined it as well.

"Confirmed," she said, and held it out for Gokudera to take. "With this, the Battle for the Storm Ring may officially continue."

"Fuck yeah!" Gokudera snatched it out of her hand. "... Thanks, Aneki."

Bianchi, who had put her shirt back on (much to several people's disappointment and Gokudera's relief), smiled down at him. "Win for our Famiglia's sake, Hayato."

"Ciaossu, Bianchi. Long time no see."

Bianchi froze. Slowly, she turned her head towards that voice, that voice that she had dreamed of for so long, that beautiful, sonorous voice that made her tremble with love and adoration and pure-hearted desire...

"REBORN!" she cried, tears pouring from her cheeks. "MY LOVE!"

She flung herself on to the baby, narrowly missing kneeing Fon in the face had he not jumped out of the way and on to Yamamoto's shoulder. "My my," the Arashi Sage remarked. "I had forgotten that Gokudera Hayato's sister was infatuated with Reborn. Love indeed has no boundaries."

"She was really Reborn's lover?!" Tsuna yelped, completely shocked by the scene.

"Indeed. It seems that she is his fourth."

"EHHH?!"

"Well then," the Cervello woman on the ground announced, her voice suddenly booming around the entire area as if an invisible microphone had just turned on. "We shall now start the battle of the Storm. The winner shall earn the rights to become the raging tempest of the Vongola _Shugotenshi_. Any complaints or protests shall be ignored from hereafter," she seemed to direct this more towards Belphegor, who was grinning a strained grin. "We shall announce the conditions for battle."

"Shishishi, whatever the conditions, the Prince shall always win," Belphegor said silkily, taking out one of his oddly shaped knives and playing with it.

"Bring it on, bastard," Gokudera dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his shoe before relighting a fresh one. "After I win, I'm gonna shave those damn bangs of yours."

* * *

><p><em>And we come to the battle scene... Christ, now what?<em>

**Mammon: **A member of the Varia and a (reluctantly) close friend of Belphegor. For whatever reason, Belphegor is very attached to Mammon and often wheedles him into spending time together. It seems that he has a connection to the Arcobaleno...


End file.
